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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869063">Creature From The Shadows</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caprilicious/pseuds/Caprilicious'>Caprilicious</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pure Might [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Deltarune (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Friendship Warning, Hamfisted Music References In Chapter Titles, He/Him Kris, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Deltarune Chapter One, Swear Breathing Dragons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:47:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>64,807</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caprilicious/pseuds/Caprilicious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After their original escapades in the dark world, the Fun Gang wonders where to go from there. When they aren't being forced into working together, will the three legendary goobers be able to maintain relationships? They are a bit new at it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kris &amp; Ralsei &amp; Susie (Deltarune), Susie/Ralsei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pure Might [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Animated Violence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Let’s go back there tomorrow, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s heart pounded in her chest as she quickly walked away, trying to avoid a call of attention to her friendliness from Kris. She pushed the doors open and felt the cool Autumn air seep into her scales; she absolutely hated it. But stronger than that was a feeling of warmth from inside. Her new friends, a whole team of goons on her side now. She laughed to herself as she began to walk towards home with her hands in her pockets. Home. The word instantly replaced the gentle warmth with a hot tingling through her chest, as if she could feel her happiness rot away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fuck, I’m so late.” She thought to herself and looked towards the school, stopping in her tracks. “Dad is gonna be so pissed.” She shook her head and turned around back towards the direction of home, almost missing when her dad-related problems could be solved with swinging an axe around with them. Lancer, Kris, and…him. Susie could feel the warmth returning, followed by a tightening of her mouth in frustration at so much emotional exertion. She found herself snarling at nothing but herself, worrying for the first time in her life that someone thought she was a jerk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, feelings time is over!” She growled in her head, digging her signature shitty headphones out of her school bag and putting them on over her ear holes. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the texts from her parents in her notification bar, because fuck it, it was time to rage. Rage is easy. She stepped over the police tape in front of her neighborhood entrance as music blared out around her, surrounding her in a near impenetrable shield of angst and guitar feedback. It was these times she felt truly strong, getting lost in her thoughts of power fantasies while listening to what she liked to call “That evil shit”, but this time it was real. Her grin faded as her trio of pals entered her thoughts, wondering what they would think if they knew she thought like that. Or more specifically, what would Ralsei think? Lancer would probably think it was pretty cool, and she could withstand Kris’s usual passive aggressive silence, but Ralsei was different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Different because he would call me out on my bullshit. He had the biggest...nope. He had the most guts out of any of those dweebs.” She gave a cool grin, fronting her confidence in response to herself. She reached her street, and her house was in view. She cursed herself for walking so fast, and felt a knot in her stomach after seeing the car in her driveway. Her footsteps grew shorter and she packed away her headphones, knowing that enjoying something with an angry parent around was like wearing meat scented body spray in a wolf’s den. Or in this case, the dragon’s lair. She walked up to the doorstep, feeling herself begin to sweat. She clenched her fists tight, bared her teeth, and opened the door. She eased a bit, deciding she didn’t have the energy for a big fight today. Susie was immediately met with the eyes of her parents, turning to look at her silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, where…” Her mother started, only to be interrupted by her father standing to his feet. Susie knew her father would never hit her, but his stature made her realize why Kris may have been so shy to speak with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jen, let me talk to her. Where the hell have you been?” His voice was already raised at her, making her go on the defense. But no words came out of her mouth. “Answer me! You have already disrespected me and your mother by not only skipping class, but ignoring our calls and texts!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t see ‘em.” Her voice faltered, knowing if she looked anywhere but his forehead he would blow up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit. I bust my ass for you, and for everything we can have. You think I wouldn’t have? Or do you just not care?” Her father’s tail slapped against the ground, making her flinch. She once again kept her mouth shut, not knowing what she could even say. “You’re helpless. You don’t have a job, you don’t know how to drive, you don’t do any activities, and your grades are terrible!” Her mother looked up towards him, shifting her anger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not necessary at all, Al! Calm down, and stop yelling.” She turned back towards her daughter. “Susie, go to your room for the rest of tonight.” Her husband grumbled and walked off to the kitchen, passing Susie. She had locked up, feeling herself break. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t cry. You better not fucking cry you piece of shit. I hate you. I hate you so fucking much. You just have to get to your room, and then you can. Just get to your room.” Her mind was stuck on repeat since her father began talking, quickly going up the creaking stairs to her room, the last door on the right. Just as she felt the dam was about to break, she turned her knob and opened it, the sight of dirty clothes and unvacuumed scent welcoming her with open arms. She locked the door behind her, sat onto her bed, and...nothing. As usual, nothing came out. The need to cry had left her, feeling instead the negative feelings stuck inside her body, eating away at her. She laid down onto her side, making the springs of her bed squeak from a combination of her weight and the age of the bed. They weren’t poor, but dad hated spending money. Her face pressed into her pillow, feeling a stray tear leak out of her eye; that’s all she could ever get most of the time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t even feel things right, huh.” She stared blankly at the wall, feeling her eyes close halfway as her thoughts berated her. “Everyone has to go through the same shit, but you just can’t take it. You’re weak.” Her fists clenched. Susie usually found relief in picturing violence as her catharsis, only just out of reach. Something that could possibly make her feel better. But after today, thinking about that only made her feel worse. She knew that even without consequences, that primal fury just left her empty inside. As much as she felt regret for it, it was the only thing she was good at. Kris was a virtuoso on the piano, and got surprisingly good grades. She had no talents, no skills, no real ambition to do anything with her life during or after high school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled onto her back, wiping her snout with her arm and looked up at the ceiling, a smile creeping onto her lips. She had friends now, real ones, and they were probably just as fucked up as she was. Despite being absolutely exhausted in every sense of the word, one thought remained central among everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Worth it.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I finally decided to start this thing. It's been rattling around in my brain for weeks, but here we are. I've never written anything like this before, but hopefully I don't chug too much dick at it. I guess leave a comment if you have any critique or suggestions in term of formatting or whatever, because I am very new at this website! I really don't have much to do with quarantine and stuff, but I really don't have any sort of update schedule for the non existent people who care. Oh well, enjoy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Only House That's Not On Fire (Yet)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For the denizens of Hometown, that fateful October day had felt like one day covering the shift of another, making it bare the weight of two days in one. But with a new sun rising from the horizon came a nice refresh for all. All except one, of course. Kris had hardly slept at all the previous night, and for once felt relief from seeing the sky brighten after a night of staying up. He had stood in the center of his room, sat on his bed, and watched videos ranging from speedruns of obscure video games he played years ago, to compilations of water towers falling over. But he couldn’t let his guard down. Not this time. His eyes glanced back over to the faint red glow in the corner of the room, the adrenaline of seeing it himself waking him up a little. He had put on quite the show for his little red stowaway, and it seemed to be keeping it in check. But he knew that soon his mother would come to wake him up, and he couldn’t just have his soul out in a cage with her around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not gonna take this away from me, you hear me? Not that you haven’t already, you little humanshit.” He mumbled under his breath, still getting used to so many words coming out of his mouth. Kris usually didn’t resist his friendly neighborhood parasite, and had seen it as somewhat of a boon before. It started off as a little voice, one that suggested he try more social and friendly habits. But it got impatient. It had ripped the controller away from him, and he couldn’t have been happier. Until now, that is. By some bizarre force beyond the most motherfucking of miracles, he had made friends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re not friends with me. They’re friends with you.” He approached the cage, flipping his knife so the blade pointed down out of the bottom of his fist. He was bluffing, but the soul seemed to know better than to doubt Kris in the field of inflicting damage to himself. His mother’s bedroom door opened, and the sound of her heavy footsteps going down the stairs made his head perk up. He brushed his hair aside and looked around the room, opting to use his bed covers as their namesake. He draped the blanket over the cage, trying to bunch it up in a way that looked like a pile of blankets, and not the outline of a bird cage. Mumbles of reaffirmation escaped his lips as he tipped the cage on its side, wrapping the blanket around it so there was no point of escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you. I don’t need your help, I don’t need anyone’s ‘help’ making friends.” He put his knife back under his mattress, the usual hiding spot for it. It had been a gag gift from his father’s college buddy Rudy, and apparently it was called a kris as well. His mother had demanded he get rid of it, and Rudy wasn’t allowed to be on birthday duties until Kris turned 18. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe next year he’ll get me some balls so I can really use his gift.” Kris thought to himself as he left his room and headed downstairs. His spacing out was interrupted by his guardian goat nearly dropping a pan onto the floor with a gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodness! You gave me quite the fright, Kris.” She put a hand to her chest. “I have yet to have my coffee, so I am still waking up.” She was still in her pajamas. “You’re up early, child.” Her easy smile turned to a disapproving scowl. “You did sleep last night, didn’t you? If not, don’t think you’ll be getting out of school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let her finish talking, staring at her with a blank look. “I slept. I just thought I’d get up early for once, you seem to enjoy it.” He replied dryly, somehow with less emotion than when he was being piloted like a robot. Toriel hadn’t seemed to sense the venom on his tongue as her expression softened once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that is wonderful. You can see what it is like to be up with everyone else.” She shifted her focus back to the stove, a carton of eggs being opened beside it. Kris walked past her and sat on the couch, looking at his phone. “Kris, would you like an egg?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at her and widened his eyes in an effort to ward off the sleepiness he felt blurring his vision. “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Please.” He tacked on, seeing his mother’s expression shift once again. He had burned through all of his usual forum site content in his stakeout on the soul, so breakfast felt longer than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt his eyes starting to glaze over as he ate, but his mind was so far elsewhere it forgot to taste the food he was having. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, so why did he feel so on edge? He wondered until Toriel returned, now dressed and holding her keys. “Ready?” She yanked him out of his zone once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Yeah.” He hopped on one foot to slip his shoes and socks on his feet, not bothering to untie his shoes and instead just pushing his foot into the hole. He felt more relieved as they drove farther away from the house, the window of the soul escaping or being found having closed in his mind. “I’ve gone to school on less sleep, I just have to get through the day.” He thought with a yawn. “Can I hang out with my friend after school today?” He turned and looked at her without warning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toriel sighed. “Yes, that will be alright, just please make sure you keep in touch. Be home before 7 o’clock tonight, or text me if you need a ride home.” She smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” He looked forward, seeing the school building before him. A car he hadn’t seen before was pulled up beside the school, a strange occurrence for a building with only two parking spaces on the property. He got out at the same time as the purple double-image in the other car, confirming after a few blinks it was Susie. “Oh thank God.” Kris gave a rushed goodbye to his mom and slunk over to her, evading his daily shame parade of Toriel holding his hand and hugging him. “Stupid old goat.” He cackled through his nose to himself, just sort of walking behind Susie until she brushed her hair back and cracked her neck, giving her ample periphery to see him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, ff….!” She jumped back, tensing her shoulder up in defense with her arms going back. “...uck.” She eased up, smirking and lowering her arms. “Jesus, dude. You didn’t follow my dad’s car here, did you?” She stopped so they could walk side by side into the school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mom drives me here everyday, she works here if you didn’t know.” He snarked at her, making her look like her guard was just cut through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you just tell a joke? Huh, I guess I just had to get to know you a little for you to start messin’ with me.” She smacked him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt a smile crack across his face, only partially from being hit from a reminder she could remove his spine like a laundry tag. “Oh, God. Is this what it’s like? Oh, fuck yes.” His body shuddered from the friendship high running through his atrophied brain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, you good?” Susie smiled back at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve seen you take way worse beatings than that, even from me.” She nudged him with her arm playfully, giving a loud, wheezy laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” He felt his face redden in shame at his lack of self control, scratching his arm. “I just couldn’t sleep at all last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked right into his eyes, the color matching near perfectly with her golden grin. “Yeah, me neither.” Her response decapitated the conversation, giving no real opportunity for response from either party, she thought. As they were greeted with Alphys scrambling at her desk to shift into teacher mode, they both turned to each other with seemingly the same idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still wanna go back today, right?” Kris asked with a tinge of excitement in his voice, albeit about as much as there is fruit flavoring in a can of La Croix water. Susie met him with a troubled look, sighing out of her snout as they sat at their desks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I actually can’t today, man. Sorry. My parents were really pissed about everything that happened yesterday.” She rested her hand on her cheek, keeping her voice down despite being the only ones there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine.” Kris replied with a shrug. “I’ll tell Ralsei you would have loved to see him, but you got in trouble so he doesn’t think you hate him.” He gave her another sly grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does Ralsei think I hate him?” Her voice lowered to a whisper, her face stricken with worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? I don’t know. I was just making a joke.” Kris’s facade of confidence cracked almost instantly at the first sign of accountability for his shitheadery. “Do you hate him? I thought he was kinda being a bit of a dick, trying to tell everyone what to…” His voice was cut off by Susie looking towards the front of the room, making Kris look forward as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What on earth are you two doing here?! You’re a class period early!” A nasally voice cackled at the door, moving towards the front desk. Alphys looked like a background character in an old western movie hiding behind a door during a standoff, except she just turned her chair around and pretended to tactfully organize her blackboard chalk for the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We go to school here too, you know.” Susie huffed her nostrils out towards the blue bird with the worm-eating grin painted on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could have fooled me.” He turned back around, making Susie’s eye twitch. She put her hands up on her desk like she was about to get up, but looked at the floor for a moment and sat back. “Not lettin’ some incel memelord cut into my dark world time.” She crossed her arms as she considered the trouble she was already in. Kris kept his eyes forward towards the board as the rest of the students began to come in, seeming to avoid looking at the two. But realistically, it was probably just her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seven more hours. That’s all I have to do. Even if Susie won’t be able to go, it will give me time to talk to Ralsei.” He half looked back to see Susie’s head down on the desk, wondering if she was thinking the same things as him. “He seemed excited to meet the real me, too.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I met a goat in prison and he taught me how to love.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Man It Feels Like Space Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The hands of the classroom clock ticked along their orbit, taking their sweet time to get to the magic numbers that meant school was over. But as much as Kris was watching the clock out of hope it would somehow go faster, he felt anxious about seeing anybody down in Ralsei’s world, Ralsei especially. Everytime he thought back to a cheesy flirt, or ingenuine compliment, he felt the need to pull his hair out and scream. And the hugging, oh, the hugging. That red upside down shit factory not only made him hug a total stranger, but it just kept going. Over and over and over again, not one being reciprocated by Ralsei. The thought made him grit his teeth, but Ralsei didn’t seem to mind. Whether that was due to him being touch starved and/or a doormat or his awareness of the situation was hard to pin down, but the train of thought was pulled out of his head by a clawed finger poking the back of his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to see that Susie had picked her head up off the desk, at least enough for her jaw to rest on her hand. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask her if she needed anything, but she just grinned back at him and put a hand to the side of her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” She whispered, blowing hot, mulchy breath into his face. Kris turned back to the front of the room, trying to stifle a smile from his discomfort in the situation. He could hear Susie cracking up behind him, as being quiet was not one of her strong suits. Alphys turned with an open mouth from the chalkboard to speak, but saw who the culprit of the sound was and turned back around with a clear of the throat. To Kris and Susie’s relief, but also her own, the bell rang after what felt like forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Al...Alright. R-Remember to...um…” She started to speak, but was drowned out by an ocean of chairs squeaking, bags zipping, and students talking. “J-Just remember to watch the homework board!” Alphys smiled painfully, tapping at a squared off section of the board that listed the same assignments as the day before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris suddenly remembered the group projects that were assigned yesterday, and realized that neither of them were actually there for its explanation. He looked around and thought of who to ask, but his classmates seemed to avoid him more than usual. It was also no help that Alphys was usually out the door before most of the students. “Hey, Susie?” He turned around to see his purple project partner stretching on the desk and popping just about every joint in her body. “Do you actually know what our project is supposed to be about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She yawned and rubbed her back. “Eh? I dunno. Can’t be that important, but I forgot you’re a little nerd who cares about grades.” She leaned on her desk to give her spine one last good crack. “One of us has gotta be.” Kris responded with a blank look. “Alright, alright! I’ll figure it out whenever I get around to it. I gotta get home, so see ya.” Her eyes shifted around after another brief pause, before quickly walking out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye.” He stammered out, doubting she would even hear it after it emerged from his mouth. He stood around in the classroom, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Once he was the last one there, he just sat down and waited for a moment. He would have to wait for everyone else to leave the halls, anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’d she get like that before she left?” He pondered obliviously, his barren self confidence and deluded sense of conceit clashing in his brain to come up with a perfect solution. “Oh no. She doesn’t like me, does she? What if she’s got a thing for me, but I’m messing it up?” He stared at his desk, feeling his face heat up. “She does seem to be awfully touchy with me...but I don’t know…” His hands turned to fists as he stood to his feet. “Having to deal with things yourself fucking sucks.” He mumbled as he meandered towards the door. “Screw it, I’m gonna go now.” He walked out into the hall, only a few stragglers left in the halls. His mother had gone home already, the younger class’s days being shorter than the upper class. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The large metal doors didn’t slam open like before, only giving him a sneaky crack of darkness to signal he was welcome. He slipped inside when he felt no eyes on his back, and took in the quiet darkness. It was peaceful, he thought, up until the floor was yanked out from under him once again. He had a feeling that wasn’t going to stop scaring the hell out of him anytime soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, how did I land the f-” Before he could finish his thought he was suddenly on the ground, feeling dust kicked up around him. The now blue human staggered to his feet, uninjured, and began again the trek through the strange cliffs. However, once brought to the landslides, Kris felt too scared to do anything but slowly scoot down on his butt until he got to the bottom. He began to walk faster as the ground began to turn black beneath his feet, signalling he was now in the empty town.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei was nowhere to be seen, however, in the town square or in their first meeting place in front of the castle. Kris called out to him, cringing at his voice being used at a volume louder than close quarters speaking. He looked up at the large palace before him, the entrance being blocked off by what appeared to be a large drawbridge. “Uh.” Kris approached it and knocked on the massive wooden barrier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris?” A soft voice floated right behind him like a wisp, making him turn around suddenly. “Oh! I didn’t mean to scare you, I just wanted to make sure you, um…” His voice trailed off as it usually did when he said something that didn’t sound rehearsed. “Hi.” He had his hat on, but it made his smile easier to see against his vanta-black cloak as he gave a little wave. “I didn’t expect you to come back so soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not? Susie said we should come back right after we left yesterday.” He shrugged, restraining the joy on his face. “But don’t tell her I said that.” He felt his face burning up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that is very nice! But, um...I’m noticing she isn’t here. Where is she?” Ralsei looked around like he was expecting an ambush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She got in trouble with her parents for disappearing so long, so she couldn’t come today.” He watched Ralsei’s ears seemingly deflate, flopping down by his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, she got in trouble? I’m very sorry, Kris.” He bowed his head in shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t apologize to me, I just got sent to my room for the night. Her parents are just kind of dicks, I think.” He scratched under his chin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s eyes widened, and before Kris could roll his eyes, a smile sprang forth and he was suddenly assaulted by a very slow and pillowy body check. “It really is you, isn’t it? I assume that was the signal we discussed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt stunned, his mouth partially open as he felt like he was being enveloped by the world’s tiniest black hole. “Oh, uh, that. Yeah, it’s me, but if we’re doing secret signals, try not to announce it…” He stood in place awkwardly, keeping his hands by his sides. “How’d you know, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei pulled away from him and adjusted his glasses, cheeks aflush. “Ah, s-sorry, I just got excited.” He rubbed his cheek and giggled. “But now that we have more time, I began to grow suspicious whenever we fought. That thing that goes in and out of you...you behaved differently whenever it was out. It was a little off putting. I didn’t know what to do, and...and I was scared. Mostly of being rude by asking you, but…” He fidgeted with the edge of his robe. “Is everything okay, Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s mouth straightened, not expecting such a heavy question at the first greeting. He almost forgot that he had to respond to Ralsei now. “I’m alright, Ralsei. It’s not a big deal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt a tug at his heart. He wondered why he was so mean to Ralsei in his head when he always treated him with nothing but kindness. Maybe it was just the soul’s obsession with him that made him feel bitter about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…?” Ralsei’s voice got quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris snapped back to attention, answering without delay this time. “Yeah, I promise. Sorry, I was just thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Kris. That’s all that matters.” He smiled once again, letting Kris rest easy for the time being. “So, you came here...did you have anything in mind you wanted to do? I figure we should wait for Susie before I bake those cakes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I really just wanted to talk to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei had stars in his eyes. “Really? Oh! What did you want to talk about?” The back of his robe fluttered as his tail began to waggle excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhh...not much right now. It’s more like I wanted to ask you something. Are you able to come to the...our world?” Kris screamed inside, every part of his body telling him not to do what he was about to do for fear of being laughed at. But if Ralsei was going to laugh in his face, he thought he’d just pack it up at that point, as all hope would be lost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Light World? Me? I don’t actually know…” Ralsei rubbed his hands together with uncertainty. “Darkners used to live there with Lightners without issue, so I should theoretically be fine. How did you and Susie get home yesterday, would be my first question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh. Shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used my soul.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Heartworm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Have you ever gone to pour a bowl of cereal, but there is just enough for there to be barely none left if you just pour a regular bowl, so you have to make a slightly too large bowl to finish it off? I've done that twice this week and gotten sick both times. One in the morning and one tonight to fuel me for not proofreading this story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When you get used to walking somewhere, it feels a bit odd to be driven there. Normally Susie would be pretty pleased with not having to walk all the way home, especially with the temperatures going down, but there was something of an elephant in the room. That elephant being her dry alligator of a mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would have been fine walking home, mom.” Susie leaned her head back on top of the carseat’s headrest. “Seems kinda like the opposite of a punishment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’ve shown you can’t be trusted, so for now we are going to have to make sure ourselves that you are going where you’re supposed to go.” Her mother stood firm, the passive-aggressiveness in her voice putting her husband’s regular aggression to shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t be trusted now? It’s not like I was doing anything bad.” Susie attempted to inch out whatever ground she could. “I mean besides cutting class. But…” She exhaled and looked out the window. “I know that was bad, and I promise I won’t do it again.” Her pride felt gutpunched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother’s expression softened, looking less like she was about to death roll the next non-scaled creature she came across like before. “Oh? And what exactly were you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just hanging out with a friend. His name is Kris. The human dude.” She thought about mentioning Ralsei, but wouldn’t even know where to begin lying to cover that story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He?” Her mother’s slitted pupils thinned even more, glaring straight through Susie like her soul was visible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re just friends! I swear. He’s a total dork, and, uh...gay?” Susie cleared her throat. “We were just hanging out and playing games. That’s it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The car pulled into their driveway, and quieted to a rest. “Susie, look. I understand. I know you haven’t had the easiest time making friends, but we were really scared. Just promise you won’t do it again, and I’ll talk to your dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie opened the car door, keeping her mind on the same prize as always when she got home after school: her bed. “Alright.” Her response was drowned out by distant police sirens, as both her and her mother’s attention was stolen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See? If I didn’t drive you home, I’d think that siren was because of you.” Her lips curled into a smile, as non-threatening as an alligator smile could be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie rolled her eyes, but forced a smile for her own sake. “I hope dad is as weak to sob stories as you are, mom.” She thought in her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris?! Kris, are you alright?” Ralsei desperately jostled Kris’s armor by the shoulder. “D-Did I hit you? I’m so sorry, I just thought I’d have to attack to get your soul to come…” His voice seemed to fade into the world as the human’s hands opened and closed. They went up and brushed his hair down, his bangs going over his eyes. “Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, Ralsei...what happened?” He groaned and sat up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried you were hurt.” He held out his hand to help Kris up, and it was quickly taken. Almost eagerly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t hurt me, don’t worry!” A toothy, reassuring smile made Ralsei feel at ease. “I should be able to go in just fine now, your plan worked so well!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, thank you, Kris.” He was still holding onto Ralsei’s hand, feeling the dead stare even behind his bangs. “You can let go now, if you want…” He cleared his throat into his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris didn’t say anything, slowly letting go of Ralsei’s hand. His smile dropped ever so slightly, as if he was annoyed. “You’re so smart, Ralsei. I feel so much better with that soul in me. Even though it did sort of run straight through my back. How’d you come up with it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re flattering me.” He fanned his face like a proper Southern Belle. “I just noticed it seemed to conjure itself up every time we got in a fight, so I thought if we started one, it would have to come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris watched with a held smile and repeated head nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…” Ralsei held his hands together, trying not to look at Kris. Something felt off, but he wasn’t his deadpan self like when the soul was controlling him. He really wished Susie were here. “Shouldn’t you get going? I don’t mean to sound rude, but, um, I was supposed to meet with Lancer.” Ralsei didn’t exactly feel thrilled about lying to his friend, but there were too many dots in his head being connected incorrectly, and it was beginning to make him panic. “You can use my fountain if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I should, shouldn’t I?” The taint of annoyance was back. “But before I go, how about we have a sleepover sometime? At my house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei felt overwhelmed at many factors of that prospect, but found himself already answering. “That sounds like it could be fun. Will Susie be coming, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s face twitched, his smile seeming to pull at his face more before answering. “Sure. I’ll come get you for it this weekend. That’s 4 days from now, alright Fluffy Boy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“F...what?” Ralsei squeaked out, feeling even more confused. “Is it rude to say Kris would never say something like that?” Ralsei wondered as Kris was already walking back towards the field.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a compliment. I’m just being nice.” He stopped and looked at Ralsei over his shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Ralsei.” He vanished past the Great Door, and went silent and flat all the way home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei felt like he could breathe again, holding his hand gently to his chest. “What in the world is going on?” He already felt suspicious. “I saw the soul go into him like a speeding arrow, was that really Kris? Did I doom him back to imprisonment?” Ralsei felt his heart drop, pacing back and forth until his ears perked up at the sound of someone’s voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hoo hoo hoo…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head turned towards the dummy he used for friendship practice suddenly, glancing around with caution. “Hello…?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another laugh came straight from the dummy, its most recent addition swaying back and forth of its own volition. The J-shaped tail stood at attention, catching Ralsei’s eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The nightmare won’t end.” Ralsei tugged on his ears, his eyes full of fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woe, oh woe!” The dummy’s mouth began to move like it was speaking. “It would seem your friend is quite capricious, terminally so!” It started to hover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. It was just Jevil. Ralsei felt relief in at least knowing what he was terrified of now, even if it was the thing that seemed most hellbent on his destruction before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are the liberator, but how to start? Find 88 keys, and the one to your heart!” The dummy mused, rattling onto the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean? Do you know what’s wrong with Kris?” He made sure to keep his distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No fun, no fun! Informing is crummy! The game is a riddle, don’t be a DUMMY!” It popped into the air, hitting the ground on its side lifelessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kept one foot in running mode, his courage gone when faced alone. But the dummy was still and silent, nothing more than cloth on a stand. Ralsei felt like he was losing his mind, looking around and running back towards his castle without another word. With a flick of his wrist, a rectangle formed in the large drawbridge which let him pass on through. He knew he was safe inside his large, ruinous fortress. If it hid him before, it could hide him from anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie let out a deep sigh as she laid down onto her bed, followed by several animalistic groans and noises unbeknownst to man as she stretched herself out. She hoped her body was done growing, because being her size was kinda a bum deal. She envied Kris and Ralsei, probably able to fit in cars without feeling like her legs were in a coffin. Ralsei’s hat came into her mind and she smirked, thinking about how it felt like most of his height. But as the hat left and he remained, something stirred inside. She had replayed it a hundred times in her head, but she could never figure out why. But she did know why, she just didn’t want to believe it. It’d only be opening herself up as a big target for a whole new level of pain, she thought, and frankly she wasn’t exactly hyped for it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, can you quit mumbling into your hat? Can barely hear ya, dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh! I’m sorry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei even played his role in his mind, thinking back to a friend he knew was trustworthy for comfort. But Ralsei was irked by it, playing it over in his mind just as much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did she leave so quickly? Did I say something wrong? Or was it just…?” He buried his face in his pillow in resignation. “I should have kept my hat on forever. I shouldn’t have been so harsh without knowing how kind she could be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie began to dread seeing Ralsei again, doubting she’d be able to look him in the face after the ass she made of herself. Especially not HIS face. “He’s so smart, and I’m just some stupid edgelord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s so brave and strong, and I run away like the little whelp I am when I’m on my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s too good for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s too good for me.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. People Are Strange</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was nothing. No feeling on his skin, no sound in his ears, no sight for his eyes; those things didn’t belong to him anymore. He was floating in inky blackness, left with only his thoughts and shreds of emotion. Trapped in stasis, but still keenly aware of what was going on. He wouldn’t remember his imprisonment this time, however. As his will began to grow more and more outmatched, he felt more and more of himself become conquered. He had nothing to fight for, after all. Maybe it’s for the better, he thought, remembering that it had all been done without him. Even if Ralsei knew, he doubted if he would even bother trying anymore, and Susie had grown more as a person in a day than her whole life because of them. The real Kris had been fighting to get loose all along, and he had won. Now he was a nobody, but that wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to before. Hazy images began to flash in his mind, almost like he was dreaming. His mother was smiling, looking down at him almost proudly. Was this a taunt? Showing him how much happier everyone was with them at the wheel? He felt himself take form ever so slightly. Spite, anger, all strong motivators, but their flame only burns out into despair and surrender. He then saw Ralsei, but he looked to be upset by something. Following suit was Susie, getting the same treatment outside school. He couldn’t quite understand the context, or why exactly he was being shown this. Or if he was even being shown on purpose, as opposed to stealing glances. How long had he been in here, anyway?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie felt a knot in her stomach, one that only the biggest nerd in all of the boy scouts could have tied. She stood in the middle of the path like a statue, as if she was put there by a lazy game developer who wanted to halt the protagonist’s progress. It was so quiet she worried the pounding of her heart would alert him to her presence. She took tiny steps, inching closer and closer to the edge of the town until she got into view of the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, quit being a wuss. It’s not like I could mess it up even more.” Susie sighed, gritting her teeth nervously. She bit down and clenched her fists, walking faster towards the town center. She could feel the power of her emotional muse giving her courage, albeit through anger at herself. “Alright, chill, chill. This crazy shit is probably what made him say all that stuff to begin with.” It had almost been a week since he even talked to him, and before that it was mostly just insults. She figured she would try anyway, as she had literally nothing better to do. She took a deep huff out of her nose, and pounded on the drawbridge before she had time to think things through. It was usually her weakness, and always made her get cold feet when doing something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door cut-out cracked open and a green hat slowly poked out, followed by a pair of beady white eyes staring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh...hey.” She may as well have been staring into a gorgon’s eyes with how stiff she felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie…? Can I help you with something?” He didn’t seem to be doing much better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really at the moment. I just wanted to, y’know…” She rubbed her knuckles, prying her eyes away from the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t really. Oh, is this about the cakes? I can bring you out some in a minute if you’d like.” Ralsei kept one eye hidden behind the door. His voice sounded raspy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, I’m not here about the cakes. I don’t have a lot of time, I just wanted to talk.” The words felt like razors coming out of her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Talk? Um...okay. What did you want to talk about?” He stepped out from behind the door, slouching over a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sight rubbed Susie the wrong way, always having seen Ralsei be nothing but optimistic and all smiles even in the most dire of situations. It made her feel even more like a jerk. “Ah, jeez. Look, I understand if-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, before you say anything.” Ralsei cut her off. “I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, why? You didn’t really do anything that wasn’t really justified.” It only seemed to upset him more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, please don’t try to cover for me. I-I was so harsh, and cruel, I didn’t make you feel like part of the team. Everything you said about me is true!” He hid his face into his scarf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, slow down, dude. What do you mean everything I said? You mean like me calling you a weirdo and stuff? I was just being grouchy, I didn’t really know what was going on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei shook his head vigorously. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry, what were you going to say? I just felt so guilty, I couldn’t keep it in anymore.” He lowered his scarf, but pulled his hat down more with it. His horns looked just about ready to tear through from the force of him tugging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, I’m kinda glad. Makes this a lot easier.” She shrugged her shoulder and rubbed her head. “I’m sorry for being such a jerk to you, but uh...I’m also kind of proud of you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei lifted his hat enough to be able to look up at her. “Huh? Why on earth would you ever be proud of…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nuh uh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W...What?” His eyes went wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, sorry. I just don’t want to hear you feel all sorry for yourself, man. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself a little. Hearing that you said all that nasty shit about me was honestly a little refreshing. So, I guess if you’re worried about that, there’s no need.” She gave a nervous grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s brow furrowed, lifting his hat and revealing his true self, catching Susie off guard. “Nasty things? What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, like, you know,” She cleared her throat. “I don’t remember it exactly, but about me being dumb, and obnoxious, and a bitch. It’s really not much of a stretch, dude.” She tried to look away without seeming like she was trying to avoid him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to keep going, I can tell you are getting upset.” He looked at her face, the color changing noticeably under her scales. “Also, um...I am not really sure where you got all that from. I never said that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie was snapped from her cliche flustered appearance and looked back at him, frowning half her mouth to the side. “You don’t gotta lie to me, man. Believe me, I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei dusted off his hat and put it back on. “No, seriously, I don’t believe any of that!” He was making it difficult to apologize, Susie thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to at least a little, come on.” She smirked. “Give me a little credit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei sighed and rubbed his arm. “Susie, did Kris make you do this? I understand if you don’t want me at Kris’s sleepover, so if you want to go I can just stay home.” His ears dropped down over his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ehh, hold on. I came here cus I wanted to, Rals. In fact, Kris told me I shouldn’t do this. Proved his ass wrong.” She crossed her arms with a grin. “Also, what sleepover?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’m getting confused. Kris told me that you didn’t want to go because you didn’t like me.” Ralsei rubbed his chin. “He told me I shouldn’t try talking to you because you hated me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hate you? Come on, man, you know I don’t hate you, right?” Her cool-guy exterior was quickly cracking under pressure. “The worst thing you did to me was tell me to stop beating up strangers. You don’t hate me, right?” She made it sound rhetorical, but she really didn’t know at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not, Susie. I’m just a little confused as to what’s going on, now. I don’t mean to make excuses, but I’m just inexperienced with the whole people thing.” He bowed his head with his shoulders tensed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax, man. We got the basic rundown. We don’t hate each other, and that’s pretty cool. Maybe Kris was just trying to play peacekeeper or something, and doing a pretty crappy job.” She eased up, brushing her arm. “So, you’re saying there’s a sleepover happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei smiled like he always did. “Yes, I have been looking forward to it all week. It’s tomorrow, but I am still working on my itinerary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool. Can I come? Also, how do I leave?” Susie looked around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei opened his door. “You can use my fountain. Just step into it and it should take you wherever you ended up last time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door creaked as Susie pushed it open, seeming to disappear into the wooden wall when she closed it behind her. Inside was a courtyard that seemed rather empty, lacking any sort of vegetation besides dead grass and moss on the walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s around here.” Ralsei led her to the side, going all the way around the castle to the back side of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what should I bring to the sleepover?” Susie asked, trying to tame the silence between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, you’d have to ask Kris, he said that you wouldn’t want to come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, then I’ll be there.” Her eyes sensed movement from below and chased it down, seeing the back of his robe bouncing ever so slightly from his tail moving. “Hey, kind of an odd question.” She spoke up after staring at it for what felt like forever. “Are you wearing anything under that robe...dress looking thing?” They stood before the fountain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei blushed, but making him do that was no difficult feat. “Um, why do you ask that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie shrugged, looking over at the fountain. They were only standing a few feet from it, and it gave Susie an idea. It was time for guerilla warfare. “Was just wondering.” Her lips crept out into a toothy grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei didn’t answer, but the way he seemed to shift his feet at the ground answered for him. It also called to attention that he wasn’t actually wearing any shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just pulling your leg, guy. Don’t worry about it, damn.” She looked at him in the light of the fountain, making his disguise useless underneath his hat. “You know, Ralsei, you may be a little bit of a weirdo, but…” She realized she could have softened that a little. But it was time for the kill. “You’re a cute weirdo.” Without missing a beat, she leapt backwards into the fountain, catching his mouth start to open in surprise before she was enveloped by the blue, and spat out into the darkness of the unused classroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She got to her feet and panted, feeling her heart race. She ran her hands through her hair, confirming that she was back by the light underneath the door crack. She grinned wide and laughed to herself, coming out with snorts and gasps from excitement. “Little dork never saw it coming.” She muttered to herself as the lunch bell rang through the school. She walked out into the hall to join the rest of her classmates, and for once she wasn’t upset about missing out on lunch.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've gotten myself into a ritual where I can't write for this unless it's late at night, even though I have nothing to do all day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Ruler of Everything</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Everyone go play the demo for Other: Her Loving Embrace LIKE RIGHT NOW IT'S FUCKING SICK</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Crack, crack, crack. The feeling of control is truly a great one. Each finger being brought down upon the palm of their hand with a little pop in the joints. One, two, three, each joint was accounted for on each finger on each hand. They all bent to their will, because their will was absolute. But alas, being autonomous made this easy. For now, the war has ended, and the winner will write history. However, this was only the beginning; a reclaimed empire now has room to conquer. Their prize was now in reach, finally getting what they thought they deserved. While every breath and blink was a spoil, it wasn’t enough. It was about time things started to go their way, don’t you think?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! Kris, quit looking at your hands and turn around, you freak.” A hand hit their back with a meaty thump. “Don’t make me talk any louder, asshole.” She was whispering to him and shaking him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grin they had plastered on their face flattened out into a resting expression, turning around and putting their finger to their mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie bared her teeth. “Fine, whatever. But we’re talking after class.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, venting some of her annoyance by staring at Alphys threateningly. She thought the prospect of a teacher wishing her student paid less attention in class was amusing, but it was made bittersweet by forcing her to actually pay attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bell rang to end the day, and Alphys made no effort to try and dismiss her students herself. The noise startled Susie, making her focus back in on Kris. She watched him stand up out of his desk and immediately walked towards the door in what seemed like the shortest path possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo.” They felt the back of their shirt collar get caught on something. They turned around to see Susie once again, and figured it would be easiest to just listen to her nonsense. “You, me, outside. Come on.” They were dragged out in front of the school, where Susie sat down in wait of her ride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the matter, Susie?” They said with a stiff smile, looking more like their mouth was stretching unnaturally than curling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t tell if you’re being a dick or just stupid.” She turned to look at him, resting her arm over her knee. “I went to talk to Ralsei at lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She what.” They thought with a twitch of their dead eyes hidden behind the brown curtain. “Did you? I can’t imagine it went well.” The human kept their grin at her, making her feel even more mad. Seeing her angry was almost worth the plan being jeopardized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah? And why’s that? The fuck did you tell him?” The bite in her words snapped at their neck. “Also, now you’re not inviting me to stuff? Did I piss you off or something?” She held her arms out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was mostly for Ralsei’s sake. He really doesn’t like you. You think he’d be able to tell you that to your face?” They stood over her. “I was sparing your feelings, but you won’t listen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit. I just talked to him, and he told me you said I didn’t like him.” She glared up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t like him. He hates you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie felt the words stab at her, pain and dread settling into her stomach like poison on a dagger. “What’s your problem, man? Why are you acting like this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei asked me to. He’s scared you’ll hurt him. He told me that he wished he was right when he said you were a hero on the inside, but you just aren’t. He thinks you’re cruel, dumb, and horrible. Believe me now? Want me to keep going? There’s a lot more.” They watched the anger on her face bloom into fear. They knew she didn’t have the confidence to keep pushing against them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lying.” She wasn’t going to do it. Not here, and not because of him. “Shut up, man.” She had never wished to see her parents’ car more than right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He specifically told me not to tell you about the sleepover. He’s lying to you because he thinks you can’t take it. And from what I’m seeing, it looks like he was right. I thought you were better than that.” They shrugged unsympathetically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s doubt gradually shifted more and more, less towards Kris and more towards herself. She knew that all those things were true, but her resolve in Ralsei believing it too began to dwindle. She felt tears sting at her eyes, as any outrage would just be unfair to Kris and Ralsei. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I go now? I don’t want to keep Ralsei waiting.” They yawned, playing it up a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried her hardest to keep it together, trying to pretend she didn’t just call him cute and probably makes things a million times worse. She gulped and lifted her head to tell Kris to promptly go fuck himself, but he was nowhere to be seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The school doors clanked shut, Kris already having gone back inside. She knew she still had Lancer, but there was only so much you could get from a friendship with someone that young and naive. Especially not what she had hoped for with Ralsei. There was nobody in the world who would love her, and now there were two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie wept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that I’m not happy to see you, Kris,” The shadowy prince rubbed the back of his head. “I’m just confused about what’s going on right now. Why did you tell Susie I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not this again. “I didn’t come here to talk about her, Ralsei. It’s all figured out, so don’t worry about it, okay? She said she’ll be there.” They smiled, knowing they couldn’t hurt their precious Ralsei. But with the change of plan, things would have to move a little faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, um, alright. I’m sorry if I was being hysterical.” He put his hat by his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They watched him bow and felt their grin grow into a crocodile smile that would put Susie to shame. This was going to be good. “May I come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei poked his head back up. “Of course...I didn’t get to show Susie the interior when she was here earlier.” He opened the door to the courtyard. And led Kris through to the front door. It looked rather standard for a palace, just being the size of a standard house door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure it is nice. I’ve never been in a castle before.” They walked close beside Ralsei, looking right at him. He didn’t seem to notice, being too distracted by opening the door for his good friend. “Come on in!” He smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside was nearly indistinguishable from any other house in Kris’s neighborhood, except everything was just more spread out. The ceiling was much higher, but it definitely left room for upper floors as well. The living room and kitchen were visible from the foyer. “Looks nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei seemed to be pleased. “Oh, thank you! I try to keep things clean and organized.” His face beamed with pride. “I’ll show you the living room so you can sit down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They nodded and stuck to his side, watching his ear bounce with every step. When Ralsei sat down onto a sofa in the dead center of the room, Kris sat right next to him with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um...I understand, Kris. I wouldn’t want to get lost in this place either.” He laughed, poorly masking his uncomfortable fidgeting. In front of the couch was a large fireplace, and next to it a grand piano.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They saw an opportunity. A chance to kindle the feelings he knew were in Ralsei. They didn’t know how to play piano, as their learning experience had been chopped up memories of Kris’s lessons, but they knew someone who could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WAKE.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris could feel once again. For him, it had only been a moment. Or had it been a year? However long it was, it had felt like eternity. “What is this?” He wondered, feeling his nonexistent hands brush against ivory keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DOMINATION. OF YOUR WORLD, TRADED FOR MINE.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris had had nightmares similar to this before, but this one just didn’t seem to be ending. His vision began to fade back in, seeing the piano before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be shy, Kris. I’m sure you’re very talented at it. Just play whatever you want.” Ralsei tried to reassure him, but they were stalling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“PLAY.” The voice commanded Kris, all the while playing coy to Ralsei. “I know, it’s just been a while since I played, and I’m a bit shy to do it around new people. Stage fright and all..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt like he was half awake, but he moved his hands on his own down the keys. He began to play, feeling drunk on his own hopelessness but guiding his fingers through a song with perfect precision. After the song ended, Kris let his hands go limp, lacking the energy or motivation to do anything else. He tried to figure out where he was out of sheer boredom, and spotted Ralsei’s hands clapping in the corner of his view.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, bravo! That was amazing, Kris! I never knew you were so good at playing music!” He giggled, letting Kris hear the praise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought for a moment. Ralsei wasn’t clapping for them, he was clapping for Kris. He felt a faint warmth at the thought, wishing he could hear more. But, just like that, he could hear once again. Faintly, like whoever was talking deep inside a cave. In that moment, Kris knew without a doubt that he had made someone happy all on his own. It felt nice to him, and he hoped he could play more. But when his sight faded back in, he was greeted with Ralsei leaning away from him, looking off. Why were they getting so close to his face?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah...jeez, Kris. I-I’m really flattered, but I...I don’t really like you in that way.” He was blushing harder than usual, pushing up his glasses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They smiled and put a hand onto Ralsei’s shoulder. “Well now I feel awfully silly.” They laughed. “But it’s okay, Ralsei, really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry if my reaction was a bit harsh, I’ve just, um, never had someone try to...you know...kiss me before.” He shied away from the human’s cold hand, but was met with the other on his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh, don’t worry, Ralsei. Really, it’s alright. Besides,” Kris felt the grip of his hands tighten, making Ralsei wince and let out a sharp inhale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your choices don’t matter.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. In The Flesh?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>An update during the day? Your eyes do not deceive you my friends!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I won’t be able to pick you up, but I think you get the point by now.” The raspy voice said over the transceiver. “Just make sure to get home before your dad does, or he’ll throw a fit.” Susie pulled the phone away to sniffle and clear her throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Bye.” She hung up and put her phone back in her pocket. Still she sat outside the school, unmoving for about half an hour. She figured she would just walk home, as there was no real reason to be out and doing much of anything. Right now, all Susie wanted to do was go home, lay in bed, and curl up into a ball to never be seen again. But her pride wouldn’t let her. She’d been humiliated for the last time, she thought, getting up to her feet and brushing the gravel off her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They wanna beat the dog, huh? They wanna play pretend with me? Fuck them.” She mumbled as she pushed the doors open. “Let’s see how they handle talking to my fucking face.” She jerked her neck to the side, cracking it. “He wants to play big bad knight? Fine. But he’s gotta slay the dragon to get the prince.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei hit the ground on his hands and knees, reeling from the heavy shove he was just given. He looked up at Kris with fear and confusion as the human walked closer and closer to him, not thinking to move away. “Why did you do that, Kris? Was I just being clumsy? Sorry.” His voice was soft and low. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop apologizing.” It sounded more like an order than reassurance. “It’s frustrating me.” They sat down above Ralsei, their knees going on either side of his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh, um…” He struggled to not apologize for apologizing. “But, I feel like saying sorry for that one would be justified, right?” Ralsei squeaked out, desperately trying to get Kris back on his side. “Are you mad at me, Kris? If it will make you feel better, you could vent at me. O-Or we could go take it out on the dummy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They growled and clenched their fists, the metal of their gauntlets scraping against themselves with a horrible noise. “What, you think you’re too good for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei tried to scoot out from under him, finding the position to be rather awkward. “It’s not that, Kris.” He sighed. “I just don’t feel that way about you. I’m s…” He stopped himself, but the punch to his snout would have cut him off anyway. His hands shot to his face, holding his nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! You shut your mouth. I DESERVE this after all the stuff I put up with!” They were almost drooling with how angry they were, as if the entitlement they felt was leaking out of Kris’s body. “After all the things I have done for you, this is how you repay me? What do you want from me?!” They yelled in his teary face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...I don’t know, Kris…” His nose was bleeding onto his fur, staining the white fur red. “I don’t know what I can do to help you.” His wrists were grabbed harshly and pinned to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what you can do. You can give me the attention that I deserve from you.” They said from behind clenched teeth. “Do you not want me to feel loved? Is that it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N...no! I do! B-But I don’t think I’d be the person to do that for you. I really do care for you, and I like having you as my friend a lot...e-even though I never really had one, um, you’re like a brother to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris let go of Ralsei’s wrists, letting him take his hands up to his snout and slowly heal it. “You know Ralsei, you’re right. You are like a brother to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their hands went around Ralsei’s neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You steal my happiness from me.” They looked calm, but they were too strong for Ralsei to push them away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You make me rely on you, then you rip everything away.” The grip tightened. Ralsei couldn’t breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You trick me into feeling like I’m worth something, then break it all down!” They shook him, putting all their weight onto the goat’s neck. He batted at Kris’s arms, trying desperately to get him off or gasp for air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I HATE YOU, ASRIEL. EVEN MORE THAN I HATE HIM.” Ralsei felt his lungs burning inside his chest, hurting worse and worse. He wished that Susie were here. He wished that he was strong enough to not have to rely on her for protection. Ralsei felt his hope draining with his life, trying to drown out the deranged human yelling at him with happy thoughts. Luckily, they were fresh in his mind, and the only ones he could recall. He grew lightheaded, and he felt his eyes begin to glaze over. All he could think of is that if only he had treated his friends better, this wouldn’t be happening right now. He thought of Susie, and remembered all the times they had to warn their enemies about her with fondness, wishing he could go back to those times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But part of him refused to lay down and take it, trying to channel Susie’s courage for just one second. He was a hero of legend dang it, but more importantly, he still had to make those cakes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a lunging cobra, Ralsei’s scarf lurched at Kris’s face and flailed about wildly. The tiny edges lining the fabric cut his face up, making them fall to their back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you do?!” They held their face, feeling pain wash over it as the cuts began to bleed. “You...you’re so mean!” They doubled over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei gasped for air and held his throat, coughing and crawling away from his aggressor. It hurt almost unbearably to breathe, and he didn’t have anything to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Kris’s injuries were easier to recover from quickly, and they got to their feet with one hand on their face. “After I open my heart to you, you do this?” They drew their sword, and fear lit up in Ralsei’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as soon as they drew it they suddenly reeled back and launched their sword towards the far wall. Kris looked just as confused as Ralsei. “What...no. You did not just do that! Why is everyone always against me?!” They stamped their feet like they were having a tantrum. Ralsei just tried to get as much distance as he could without drawing attention. As Ralsei stood up, Kris turned their attention back over to him. “Fine, I don’t need that anyway.” They growled and began to approach Ralsei once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, please get away from me.” Ralsei managed to squeak out through the pain. They didn’t listen, or even seem to hear him. Once again, Ralsei struck at them with his scarf, this time leaving a single gash in their face. He tried to aim carefully as Kris was wearing his armor, but it was difficult in his current state. Luckily, it was enough to repel him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They quickly began to cower, going to the ground and covering their head with their hands. The slightest bit of resistance had brought Kris to their knees, beginning to choke up. Ralsei was too sentimental to stand the antagonism anymore. “Kris, why would you try to...I thought we were friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so tired, Ralsei. I just want someone to love me like everyone else. I’m so lonely.” Their words made Ralsei lower his guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re tired?” He muttered to himself, still holding his neck. He was able to use healing magic, albeit weakly, outside of battle, but his other spells relied more on being fired up. Ironically, this made him remember a way he could end this fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei casts Pacify!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with Kris going quiet and falling to their front on the floor, it was over. Ralsei collapsed onto the sofa, and tried to slow the beat of his heart just to catch a breath or two. But something made his ears perk up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The body was moving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It got to its feet and Ralsei’s heart felt as if it stopped beating out of shock, waiting in anticipation with him. He jumped up and ran out by the doorway, watching from outside. It slowly felt the chestplate that it donned and lifted it off itself, leaving Kris in just the tight undershirt. Ralsei held his breath. It stuck its arm out slowly and robotically, clasping at the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crack, crack, crack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a bloodcurdling scream it thrusted downwards to its chest, looking to punch right through the skin and yank out a red, glowing heart. Ralsei finally realized what was going on, and felt sick to his stomach. He was never talking to Kris. The human turned towards Ralsei and began to walk towards him, making him back away in fear. But it just walked right past him, and into the kitchen. Ralsei looked at the soul, and saw there was a look of pain upon Kris’s face from how hard he clenched the soul in his hand. The soul was fighting and vibrating, almost as if it was rabid. He watched Kris dig around the cabinets and drawers silently, eventually finding a jar. Calmly, he unscrewed the lid, placed the soul inside, and screwed it back up tight. His head swayed back and forth, looking back up at Ralsei with a bloodied face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei would have fainted if every part of his body wasn’t screaming at him to be on guard, instead staring like a deer in headlights. Neither of them said a word to each other, as Ralsei was much too poisoned with fear of the unknown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris put the jar in a sack and tied it shut, placing it onto the floor next to him as he laid down. He brushed the hair out of his eyes and shut them, his breathing slowing down as his face stung with pain. Kris was too tired to care about it too much, and it showed. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…?” Ralsei finally broke the silence between them, cautiously approaching Kris. The sack beside him rolled around and shook violently, but it was unable to break free. He was asleep, and looked to be at peace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>BANG! BANG! BANG!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei just about screamed from the sudden noise coming from his front door. A loud and forceful pounding making the whole thing shake. He looked down at Kris and quickly ran over to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You fuckers better be ready, I’m eatin’ human tonight.” She laughed deviously, her raspy wheeze almost audible through the door. She didn’t even know for sure if Kris was fucking with her or not, but she didn’t care. Her insecurity wanted blood. She wanted carnage. Rage is the easiest thing to feel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened, and her tongue hung out of her mouth with hunger. For once, Susie was going to do something back to the world, and unleash years of pent up anger and hatred onto it. At least she would have if she could find it. It had all seemed to disappear when the goat at the door suddenly clung to her and buried his face into her shoulder.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Palace Doctor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Surprise! Two in one day baby.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Susie...I’m so glad you’re here.” Ralsei’s voice was hoarse, pulling off of Susie to cough into his arm. His face contorted in pain and he pounded his chest, feeling the agonizing burn in his neck as it spasmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are?” She felt meek, like if she spoke too harshly he would break. But there was no time for self loathing, because she could sense an ass that had remained insufficiently kicked in the vicinity. “Is Kris here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei nodded and looked at the ground, scooting closer to her once again. “Y-Yes, he’s inside. But, I don’t know how much you know about...current circumstances...and to be honest I’m not super sure either.” He rubbed his wrists anxiously. “He’s in the kitchen, but please be careful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes narrowed as she walked inside, Ralsei following behind her. “Careful? What’s he doing? Did he hurt you?” Ralsei didn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her stomach dropped for a moment on entrance to the kitchen, seeing her target laying on his back with his face scraped up and bloodied. “HOLY SHIT!” She jerked herself back suddenly, almost knocking Ralsei over. “Ralsei, what the fuck happened? Is he…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei stumbled back and caught himself, bumping back into the wall. “He is asleep, don’t worry. I pacified him, I think? Or, I pacified him, but then he just sort of, um, got up and fell asleep over here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie felt relief wash over her, which was strange because she came here to trounce on his twink ass. “Why did you do that? Did he try to hurt you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei sighed and sat down shakily at the kitchen table. He had gotten some warm water and was slowly nursing it from a glass. “I guess I should say this, before you um, get the wrong idea. Kris didn’t try to hurt me, but...he did.” He pointed at Kris’s body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie bared her teeth and glared down at his sleeping form. “What does that even mean, dude? Quit speaking in riddles and just tell me what’s going on.” She felt her anger swell to cover up her fear and confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei walked over to Kris and picked up the sack beside him, looking as if there was a wild animal in it. “Kris’s soul...it makes him do things that he wouldn’t normally. I’m not exactly sure the nature of it, but it seems to be like a possession of sorts.” He coughed into his hand. “But, I do have a theory. It’s his soul, and it seems to still be a part of him, so I feel that it may be linked to his subconscious and repressed feelings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’re telling me Kris has a demon messing with him?” It sounded like utter bullshit to her, but she so badly wanted to believe it to be true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it makes it easier to think of it like that, then sure.” He winced and held his neck. “Sorry, it just hurts for me to speak at the moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, man.” She sat in the chair next to him, staring at Kris’s body. “But, stuff is under control right now, right?” Susie turned to look at the sack Ralsei held tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I believe so. He trapped his soul in a jar, then put it in here before he went out. It seems like he really doesn’t want this guy out…” He sighed again, placing the bag down onto the table and putting his head into his hands. “I feel so terrible about hurting Kris.” Susie raised an eyebrow and looked back at Kris. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, you did that?” Ralsei nodded shamefully. “Man. That’s pretty cool, honestly. I uh...I’m proud of you, Rals. Not because you messed his face up, I mean, but uh, y’know. Not being a doormat to him and fighting back. It sounded better in my head.” She put her hands up. “What was he doing to make you slice him up like that? Dude looks like my mom’s cutting board.” She tried to lighten the mood a little, but Ralsei wasn’t having it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, um, at risk of making future meetings of our team uncomfortable, I’ll refer to them as, um…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nega-Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” He looked at her with annoyance, making her cut it out. “That other person, I-I guess they had some very strong feelings about me. And they weren’t very happy when they found out I didn’t really feel the same way.” He looked more nervous as he went on. “They attacked me, and had me pinned to the ground. They looked so tired, and acted almost deliriously.” Susie had death in her eyes. “They started to strangle me, but I was able to repel them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie had never been so relieved to hear about someone being choked, feeling a dread she didn’t even want to think about being lifted off her mind. “Well, damn. Are you okay?” Ralsei nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be alright, I just need some tea a-and...maybe I can heal it with magic. It’s proved unreliable with non wound-based injuries. But thank you for asking.” He gave her a weak smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes drifted down to the floor, leaving the room with a pregnant silence. She repeated it over and over in her head before finally spitting it out. “Hey, Ralsei? Be honest for a second.” He looked up. “If you didn’t like me, would you be able to tell me to my face?” Ralsei seemed surprised by the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure, I haven’t really thought about that. I like to believe that everyone deserves redemption, no matter what.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His answer didn’t look to satisfy Susie. “Look, what I’m trying to say is like...are we cool? Like, you and me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei tilted his head. “Huh? Well, I hate to sound conceited, but I will say I think you are very cool, Susie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed out her nose and smiled. “You dweeb. I’m asking if you actually like me, or if you are just...ah, forget it. I don’t really feel like askin’ anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked concerned. “Susie, of course I like you. We’re a team, and you’re one of my favorite people in the whole world. Everyone has flaws, but...I feel that even your flaws can be pleasant. Some of them, at least. I don’t endorse your roughhousing.” He put his hand on his hip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie shook her head and chuckled. “Wow, if you hadn’t sounded like such a mom that would have been really sweet.” She grinned at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank you. I thought I needed some work after our first adventure, so I have been practicing my flirting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s eyes widened and her lips pursed, the suckerpunch of embarassment hitting her like a freight train. “Shut up, I wasn’t.” She replied, flustered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean? I’m sorry.” He held his wrist pensively. Susie realized that he wasn’t being sarcastic, and was completely serious. “I thought you were my girlfriend now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...what?!” Susie jumped up to her feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said I was cute, and um, I think you’re cute, too. I thought that meant that…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei, no. That isn’t how that works. Jesus Christ, dude.” She put her hands in her hair on top of her head, moving them over her eyes with her head leaned back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. How does it work, then?” He hid his mouth down by his scarf in preparation to defend against her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You gotta like...I don’t know, it’s something you gotta establish. I’m pretty sure. They never really do that in movies and tv, they just kinda...do something girlfriend-y.” She kept one hand on her head and shrugged with the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s a movie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t matter. Point is, uh…” Her cheeks tinted a darker purple against the pink scales. “I guess I understand why dudes in the 1800s and stuff thought a girl’s ankle was hot or whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked even more confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. Don’t worry about it, I’m just talkin’.” She begged herself inside to just please shut up. “Not that I’m uh...necessarily against the idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About ankles…? How old did you say these men were? Almost two thousand years old?” His eyes shone with wonder. “Your world sounds a bit strange, but so wonderful all the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie opened her mouth to speak, but her brain couldn’t fathom a response. She decided not to make one, and just let him be happy for now. It was always nice to see, she thought. “So, uh, anyway. What are we gonna do with him?” She turned back towards the sleeping human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’d like to keep the soul here so I might learn more about it, and what the issue might be. Could you take him home? He’ll need you to use your soul to take you both. I should probably start dressing his wounds first, though.” He got down to his knees beside Kris, holding his hands out over his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, but I aint carrying him. I can’t stay all night, though. No rush, just keep that in mind. I gotta get home before my dad, and also I’m exhausted.” She laid onto the floor away from Kris with a grunt. Nothing but the faint hum of Ralsei’s magic was heard through the castle, slowly working his way across Kris’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s out cold. It must take a lot out of him to tear his own soul out like that. And he looked tired even before that…” He patted Kris’s cheek softly with a rag to wipe off the stray blood. “Hey, um, Susie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could already tell what he was gonna ask by the timidity in his voice. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now, or..do you wanna be?” He fumbled about the question bluntly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie rolled her eyes and sighed, giving a smile up at the ceiling. “Yeah, sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s love increased! </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I've Got Some Falling To Do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kris’s mind was still half asleep when he started to wake up, the body’s straight-man pleading with its other teammates to just stay asleep, as they hadn’t had rest in multiple days. But Kris just took a deep breath in his mouth and rolled over onto his side, grumbling sleepily at the distant voices that had woken him up. He pulled the blanket over his head and grouched about how uncomfortable his bed was, until he felt the blanket uncover his legs at the pull. When had his blanket gotten so small? The memory of where he was jumped him as his hand laid against the cold floor of Ralsei’s kitchen, making him jolt up in a sweat. He felt like he had slept for a hundred years, his body being rocked with sleep inertia that would make Dracula look like a morning person by comparison. His heart pounded and he quickly felt his face and chest, feeling nothing out of the ordinary. He had been given a blanket and pillow to make his stay at the floor more enjoyable, but he threw them aside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” He said out loud, getting to his feet. It couldn’t have been a dream, he thought. His soul was gone, he could feel it. His head looked down to the floor, and he felt his breathing cut suddenly. The sack he had put beside him was gone, rendering his soul much more gone than he would have prefered. He needed to find Ralsei right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Ralsei?” He speedwalked out of the kitchen, seeing his two cohorts sitting in the room just around the corner. They seemed to be alright, but Susie seemed very...Kris couldn’t tell what exactly she was, but happy to see him was not one of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris! You’re up.” Ralsei exclaimed with shock, standing up from his seat on the sofa. Susie was sitting in the chair part of the couch set, but was sideways so her legs hung over the sides. “Are you alright?” His voice sounded rough. “I thought you might be out for a little while, so I tried to make it more comfy. How long has it been, Susie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged at him, looking less than thrilled. “How should I know? You don’t got a clock?” She sassed, but without the usual brashness and volume she usually carried in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long has it been…? What day is it?” Kris rubbed his eyes, almost decking himself in the face from not using his hands in so long. “It couldn’t have been a dream.” He thought to himself, looking over by the fireplace where his chestplate sat. “There’s that...and my sword isn’t with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Thursday.” Susie said flatly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you didn’t forget about our sleepover. It’s tomorrow!” Ralsei held his throat and winced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, quit talking so loud.” Susie seemed to just try and shut him up, but Ralsei smiled warmly. “Cus uh...yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Thursday?!” Kris suddenly seemed a lot more awake. “What’s the date?” He asked with a frantic tone. It was confirmed now, his blurry memories seeming a lot less like dreams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the 8th.” Susie leaned her head back over the armrest of her chair, sounding a bit more annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris seemed relieved, but for only a second. “Of what month?” It had been that long before. He would have suddenly been doing better in school, and been praised for being more proactive in his habits, but then be scolded for them worsening just as suddenly when he regained control over himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really not in the mood for this right now, Kris.” She furrowed his brow at him, trying to dip her hook of hostility into the water to see if he would bite. “It’s still October.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Susie.” The remorse in Kris’s voice caught her off guard. “I can’t remember if I should be or not, but…” He scratched the back of his head. “I should have said something sooner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s head perked up. “So you don’t remember anything that happened the past few days?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt the spotlight on him, and he hated it. He turned his head to look at Ralsei, and made the agonizing walk over to the chair by the fireplace to sit somewhat closer to them. He was too tired to take all that standing up. “I remember what happened earlier, like a few hours ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie took her phone out and bothered to look at the time. “I’ve only been here for like 35 minutes, dude. You’ve got some fucking explaining to do. And I’m not as trusting as Ralsei.” She turned herself so she wasn’t sitting perpendicular to the chair anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’d explain why he felt so tired, Kris thought to himself as he began to drift off again already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, it’s okay now. There’s no need to be scared.” Ralsei spoke softly to Susie to try and calm her down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scared?! Who said I was…” Her anger flashed in a heated flame, but she reeled it back. “Fine. Whatever. Just tell me what your problem with us is.” Ralsei walked over to stand beside Susie’s chair, patting her arm gently. She pulled it away, looking up at him and nudging her head towards Kris. Ralsei nodded and just sort of awkwardly stood next to Susie’s chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris was hardly lucid, electing to stand up as well before he fell asleep in the warm, comfortable chair. “I’m kinda struggling over here, guys, so important stuff. Ralsei, did you take the soul?” He nodded. “Good. Where is it?” His head dipped down and he quickly picked it back up. “Actually, not important right now. Keep it. Ralsei…” His face turned to shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, it’s alright. Please don’t beat yourself up over it. It isn’t your fault. You should just get home, okay?” He approached him slowly. “Susie can take you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie opened her mouth to speak, but Kris was quicker on the draw. His tired brain didn’t care about how anxious he was about being open to people. “Ralsei, with all due respect, it’s not okay. How the hell are you this okay with everything that just happened? You shouldn’t be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, I know it wasn’t your fault, and if it means still getting to keep hanging out with you guys, then...as long as things are okay now, it doesn’t matter what happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris put his hands on Ralsei’s shoulders. “Dude. How can you not be at least a little upset? I only remember a little bit, and I’m pissed at myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei began to look uncomfortable. “Kris...we’re friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not how friends are supposed to treat each other, Ralsei, have you ever had a friend before?” It sounded much meaner than he intended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey man, knock it off.” She frowned at Kris, starting to see Ralsei’s face deflate of joy. “This isn’t what we’re talking about. You’re supposed to be giving us answers, remember? Now I’ll ask again, what is going on with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris let go of Ralsei and sighed, shaking his head around in his hands. “It’s always been a thing, as long as I can remember. I’ve looked into it, and apparently it’s a disorder or something.” Susie rolled her eyes. “Basically, human souls are weird and sometimes develop their own personality if your brain is messed up in a certain way.” Kris gave an incredibly abridged version, skipping over the parts that implied things that he didn’t want to share yet. “Sometimes it takes over, and I can’t do anything about it. But when it goes to sleep, I can kick it out of the driver’s seat. But it’s gotten worse lately, as you can see. I had to start taking it out myself so I don’t sleepwalk and do stupid shit at night, and I guess it caught on. I don’t remember sleeping in a while.” Susie squinted her eyes at him suspiciously, but Ralsei gave him a look of nothing but concern and sympathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie still felt bitter, but not angry at anyone but herself. Even if it wasn’t really him that went behind her back and said all those things, she still felt like it was true. It was perfectly justified, and she hated it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand if you guys are mad, or upset or whatever, but I just need to get home now.” He sounded distraught, but Susie stayed defiant in her moodiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let us walk you to the fountain.” Ralsei began to walk to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I should probably get going soon, anyway.” Susie got up and followed them outside. The only saving grace of this in her mind was Kris’s presence sparing her and Ralsei from what may have been the most uncomfortable and awkward goodbye of their lives. It was a quiet walk to the fountain, all three of them feeling rather spent for the day. “You can get home on your own once we’re up there, right?” Susie turned to Kris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Yeah, probably. I don’t live far from the school.” He responded, the question taking a second in his head to load.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked to be content, but he felt something eating away at him. “So you guys live in a town together?” He asked as they rounded the castle’s perimeter. “How many people do you live with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me and my dad, I’m an only child.” Susie cracked her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just me and my mom, my brother is in college and my dad lives somewhere else. I don’t see him very often. Why do you ask?” Kris looked straight forward, his noodly legs carrying him all on their own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No real reason, I was just curious. I’ve only ever lived by myself.” They stopped at the edge of the fountain, Ralsei’s expression turning somber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I always kinda wondered what the deal was with that. Have you never met your parents, or what?” Kris blinked quickly and opened his eyes to stay awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Kris, let’s go.” Susie tugged his shoulder, seeing Ralsei stall to not give an answer. She held a hand out to the fountain. “Do I have to be touching him to take him with me?” Her question pried Ralsei out of his clam up. “You just have to go in at the same time, and it should work.” They deliberated at the edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Well, cya I guess.” She lifted her hand to give a half wave to Ralsei, trying to smile for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really feel terrible about this, guys.” Kris hugged himself by his stomach as Ralsei sighed and held his hands together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can talk about this later, okay? I think we all need a little bit of alone time to rest.” He tried to end things off with a smile, mostly to try and carry that momentum for when he was left alone again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm. Come on, Kris.” Susie quickly dragged him into the fountain with her, making him gasp. And just like that, the Lightners had left his world once again. Ralsei stared up at the towering fountain, watching it sputter into the sky until his eyes hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they were back in the old classroom, Susie realized much too late that Kris didn’t take his armor back with him. She suddenly felt a lot slower to reach for the switch out of fear of what she might see. But at this point she was too done with it all to care, and threw the switch to see Kris, in all his clothes, face down on the floor. “Nuh uh, get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned at the flip of the light, mumbling something about Asriel and being carried as he rolled himself away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris!” She barked at him, making him perk right up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, I’m up.” He got up and they exited the school together, Kris taking a second to lock the doors behind him with a key. Susie felt jealous of his unlimited Goat Man and Spade Child access, and made a note to ask him about it later. But for now, she had something to crush, and it wasn’t a person this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Kris. Before you leave.” She stopped him as they hit the sidewalk. “What do you think about me? Seriously. I’ll be able to tell if you’re bullshitting me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris rubbed his cheek and pushed his hair back out of his face, coming to a stop by the curb. “You’re pretty cool I think. Funny, too. I’d never have the balls to do some of the shit you do in class, and it’s one of the only things that makes it bearable.” He shrugged. “Can I go home now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah. Go take your nap. So we’re cool?” Her voice felt more unsure at the question, but Kris could hardly register the words coming out of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t we be?” He saw her try to do a cool aloof shrug. “Look, I swear I’m telling the truth about all this. Whatever happened, we can just talk about it some other time and I’ll explain.” They came to the intersection where their paths split off. “See ya.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned towards his street as Susie kept walking forward towards hers. A grin went across her face, and she laughed to herself as she shook her head. “Yeah, right.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/586028145879023626/706688765971923135/1588439245134.png</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Tell Me What's Inside Your Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sky was still orange with the sun saying its final goodbyes, but it may as well have been midnight for Kris and Susie even with the days growing shorter. Kris had the luxury of checking out for the night, but Susie had a mission. She had managed to get home before her father, meaning phase 1 was complete. Usually her dad didn’t shift out of grumpy manchild mode until friday evening, but she had a secret weapon up her sleeve. She was going to that goddamn sleepover if it meant scraping the coals of hell with her scales; And by that she meant watching TV with her dad for an hour or two. It almost always put him in a good mood, especially when he didn’t just throw on a fishing show in the background while he did work. All she had to do was wait, and for once she was hoping he’d get home soon. She sat on her bed and dicked around on her phone, opening and closing the same apps in a cycle of exhausted content.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally saw the headlights on outside her window pulling into her driveway, by this time the sun had gone down almost completely. She groaned to herself and dragged her hands down her face, preparing herself for what might happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked downstairs as the front door shut, catching the end of her dad’s tail slinking over to his work room to put his things for the night. His whistle was audible through the entire house, amplifying Susie’s anxiety. It meant he was most likely in a decent mood, but that meant Susie couldn’t make an excuse and call off the plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m making meatloaf for dinner, so don’t eat. It should be done in about half an hour.” Susie’s mom said to her husband.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yum. I’ll be back down, just let me change out of this monkey suit.” He kissed her, referring to his work outfit. He was a corporate guy, Susie knew, but he changed jobs so much that she wasn’t even sure what he did anymore. Susie turned around and ran back upstairs before her dad could get back to them, not wanting to have to face a brush past him. Once the door to their bedroom closed, Susie slinked back out of her room, going down the stairs and sitting onto the living room couch. Now all she had to do was wait and twiddle her thumbs. When he came back down the stairs, his tail thumping back behind him with each step, he at first went back into the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was work?” Her parents began to talk about various nothings and formalities, leaving Susie anxiously curled up in the chair in the corner of the dim living room. She sighed and began to pull out her phone, but that’s when he came in and saw her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Susan.” He said when he caught sight of her. Susie had always heard it was bad when your parents call you your full name, but it had always been the opposite with her. Whenever her father called her that, it usually just meant he was referencing Seinfeld, or calling her by an obnoxiously fancy version of her name. She was so close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” She said with little emotion, not wanting to tip the fragile scales of his mood in any way. But if you went off how he was acting, you wouldn’t think anything was wrong. That’s how things usually went, she supposed. He turned on the tv and began to surf around on the channel menu, eventually settling on a documentary about some band from his days that she had never heard of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, look. You ever listen to these guys?” He lifted the remote a little to gesture towards the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I know their name from somewhere.” Had it not been for their mutual interest in the vague category of ‘rock’ music, they would probably never talk to each other unless she messed something up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should give them a listen sometime, they’re prolific as hell and I used to listen to them in college all the time.” He turned up the tv a little bit, but not enough for her mom to yell at him to turn it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t respond, just keeping her head turned toward the tv. Susie heard her dad use that word a lot when he talked about music, but she really had no clue what he meant. She could feel the words in her throat, like they were reving up to come out of her mouth. It was time to just say fuck it. “Can I stay the night at a friend’s tomorrow?” She said quickly before she had time to deliberate mid sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Your mom was telling me about this guy. Toriel’s kid, right? I’d say don’t do anything stupid, but I don’t think she’d leave you any room to do that.” He turned to look at her, then sighed out his nose and tilted his head back. “Hey Jen?” He called back towards the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” His wife called back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you drive Susie to Toriel’s house tomorrow?” Susie cleared her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, actually I was gonna walk.” Her father blinked at her before leaning back again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind!” She smiled, luckily having it hidden in the dimness of the living room. Now, she just had to run the clock out until dinner and go to bed. After about 20 minutes, he pecked in the number for the general sports network. Or at least he tried to, as the weak signal on the old remote and his large fingers made it take him a few tries, exclaiming in distress everytime he got it wrong. Susie never liked sports, but her dad has always bugged her to try out for a football team growing up because of her size. Despite this, she found something nostalgic about watching the talking heads on tv talk vehemently about names she didn’t know, finding an odd peace in the ignorance of it all. It had been the default background noise of her house for as long as she could remember, but she still hated sports.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother’s feet against the hardwood floor alerted them to her approach, leaning out of the kitchen to tell them dinner was ready. She got up first and went into the kitchen, being followed by her dad who left the tv on. It always stayed on during dinner, except for when it was decided to be ‘family dinner time’, a sacred ritual that allowed no distraction. It usually just involved them sitting in silence until someone made the first move to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After they had dinner, Susie cleaned her plate in the sink and immediately slipped up the stairs when she knew nobody was looking. She knew nobody cared most likely, but she hated getting flack from her parents about spending so much time in her room. Susie pushed it out of her mind, because tonight had been a victory. She entered her bedroom and locked the door like always, laying onto her bed and pulling her phone out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dad said I could go tomorrow, so tell your mom to make something good.” She texted Kris, laughing to herself with a chuff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By some miracle Kris was still awake, not willing to pass up dinner when he could stand it. “Go where?” He replied back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sleepover.” She rolled onto her side, eyeing the clothes strewn about her floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yea. You guys mentioned that before. What is that, exactly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You organized it, dumbass. It’s at your house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Alright. Cool.” His response was split into three messages, then the typing bubble disappeared. Susie rolled her eyes and put her phone down, shutting her eyes. She felt bad for the people who grew up without phones, understanding the troubles of not being able to talk to someone you so badly wanted to talk to whenever you wanted. Susie knew she was more confident over text, being able to toss a grenade of a message and run behind a wall before the other person responded. Talking in person was different, and a whole lot scarier. She wondered if they had the internet in the dark world, or any sort of wifi. She knew Lancer had an mp3 player, but Ralsei’s home looked far too rustic for that kind of stuff. Her mind hovered around Ralsei’s castle until she found herself asleep and dreaming, sitting in a courtroom. The judge seated before her was Kris, looking like a baby in a high chair with his scrawny ass in the seat. “Susie Dracwurm, you are here under the charges of being a bad girlfriend, and three counts of being a bad friend. How do you plead?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she could respond, Lancer stood up on his chair, slamming his hands down onto the table. “Not guilty, your honor!” He had a confident grin on his face, wearing a little brown suit and tie over his normal attire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are your opening statements?” Kris put his feet up on the high desk, fiddling with the gavel in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lancer looked at her and shrugged. “We’re real bad and loving it?” Susie’s dreamself yanked his arm, the severity of the situation being paramount.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude! Don’t say that in a courtroom.” She whisper-yelled at him. “We’re supposed to be the good guys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris ignored them and looked over at the prosecuting side, being comprised of Ralsei and his attorney, another Susie. “What about you guys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, this won’t take long.” The prosecuting Susie stood up and got in front of the Judge. “I call my witness to the stand, Ralsei!” Ralsei was already sitting in the witness booth, flattening his mouth as she made a dramatic gesture. “Now Ralsei, is it true that the defendant is a huge bitch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei leaned down into the microphone, the audio sounding very staticy and dissonant. “Yes.” He answered with little hesitation, as the attorney lizard dug through her briefcase. Susie felt incredibly slowed down and sluggish, unable to do much of anything but watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any evidence, like at all?” Kris just looked bored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you asked, your honor.” She held up a piece of paper, crumpled a little and completely blank. “What I have here is a list of everything nice Susie has ever said or done for her friends. Could you please read it aloud?” She handed it to Ralsei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He adjusted his glasses and looked at the front and back. “It, um, doesn’t say anything on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The courtroom gasped, and Lancer jumped up. “Objection! The prosecutor wrote in invisible ink! The defendant requests a candle!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you don’t believe me? Well consider this…” The prosecuting Susie sauntered over to Lancer’s side. “She almost killed you, and might I add, is stupid and annoying as shit.” Susie gulped, looking towards Lancer who put his hand on his chin in thought. After a few seconds, he put his hand up in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Judge? Can I change my thing?” He waved his arm around, trying to get his attention. “I don’t wanna be on Susie’s team anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll allow it.” Kris put his feet down and leaned forward with his head resting on his hands. “Ms. Dracwurm, what do you have to say in your defense?” Everyone turned to look at her as Lancer scooted his chair back and scurried over to the other side of the floor. She felt herself start to sweat, and her voice cracked. “Uh…” People in the jury were starting to crack up and her face felt hot as more and more people began to laugh at her. “Shut up.” Her heart was not in it, being evidenced by the crowd sitting behind her starting up as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come to think of it, Susie did threaten me like 6 times in a span of 3 minutes, so…” Kris scratched his messy hair. “Everybody shut up, I’m trying to talk!” Kris screeched at the people in the courtroom, picking up his gavel and banging it on the wood of the table with a horribly loud smack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie jolted awake in a sweat, her ears being filled with the sound of a garbage truck putting her trash cans down by the curb, their lids slamming down with a loud smack. As she caught her breath it drove away, the humming of the engine and squeaking of machinery in the distance filling the atmosphere. It was morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie?” Her door knocked, the voice of her mother muffling through the door. “It’s time to get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’m up.” She called back to her, sitting up in her bed. She was still in her clothes from yesterday. She really needed to change, she thought, and got up. After a shower and a fresh set of clothes, she put her jacket back on and headed for the door. “I’m leaving, mom.” She could hear the distant ruffling of papers coming from her father’s work room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, don’t you want breakfast?” She quickly went to meet her by the door. “You have time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hungry. Thanks anyway, though.” She just wanted to get to school as soon as possible, and she never thought she’d be saying that. She wondered if the school would even be open by the time she got there, but that just meant she had time to think. As her shoes hit the concrete beneath her, she grew nervous. “I hope Lancer hasn’t been waiting for me, I feel like shit for forgetting about him like that.” She kept her neck low, focusing on her thoughts. There were hardly any cars out at this hour, so she didn’t have to worry too much. “I’m gonna start trying, because god knows Ralsei isn’t gonna make any moves.” She put her hands in her pockets in frustration. “I know it isn’t his fault, and I’m just not wanting to do it myself, but...I don’t know, man.” She thought to herself, looking up at the school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d be too concerned over other matters to focus much that morning, but it wasn’t like she ever paid attention before. By the time lunch rolled around she realized she had neglected to bring one, but she wasn’t going to be needing it, anyway. She was pretty hungry, though, as evidenced by her stomach almost giving her away while slipping into the closet once again. Kris didn’t seem to question where she was going when he went to lunch, or say much to her at all. “At least Kris is acting normal again.” She mumbled to herself as she traversed the dark cliffs. Once she reached the walls of Ralsei’s town, she peeked in to make sure he wasn’t out and dashed by, running until she got to the field. She slowed down once she turned enough corners to feel like Ralsei wouldn’t spot her, and kept going until she reached the first magic door. She hated the things, and always had a deep suspicion that they would trap her one of these times, but she pushed through it anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Open the gate for the Lightner!” The royal guards called into the castle as Susie approached the entrance, and creaked open shortly after. She looked around the maze of stairs and elevators and stopped, remembering that she had just followed Kris through this place before. After a little bit of wandering and going in circles, she finally reached the throne room. Susie hoped Lancer’s fountain still worked a little bit, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to get back out of Lancer’s labyrinthian palace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well pickle my plums! Look who it is!” Lancer jumped up onto the way-too-big throne at her presence, his crown looking similarly atop his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo.” Susie caught her breath from all the stairs she had to walk up earlier. “You’re not busy, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I was just getting ready to have breakfast. Making the whole kingdom rich really pays off sometimes.” He grinned proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, how’d you do that?” She stretched her arms back. “Can I get some?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure! It was really easy. I just had my guys make more money for us to use, and as long as we pretend nothing changed, the value stays the same!” He laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh. I don’t know how the economy or whatever works, so I’m glad I got you around to do all that for us.” She grinned. “Hey, I gotta talk to you about something. In private.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lancer nodded his head. “Okay. Everybody clear out! Important secret meeting!” He pointed his finger up and twirled it in a circle. His guards left the room, grumbling to each other about the king’s safety. “Alright, what is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie cleared her throat and lowered his voice. “You can’t tell anyone about this, okay?” Lancer made a zipping motion over his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, uh, you know Ralsei, right? Toothpaste Boy?” Lancer nodded again. “How well do you know him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lancer put his finger over his mouth and thought. “I see him around, but I never really talked to him before you guys showed up.” He shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know about the stuff he likes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His castle is full of books, it’s so boring. When the other dads were in power I had to go along to their royal meetings for training. Looks like it’s paying off, though.” He grinned with his tongue out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything else?” Her eyes opened at full attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dunno! Why are you asking so much about him? Oh.” A smile crept across his face. “Ohhhhhhhhh. You like him, don’t you!” He giggled loudly. “That’s so gross.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never said that! Quit puttin’ words in my mouth, dude.” She felt her cheeks blush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie’s got a boyfriend!” He chanted, teasing her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine. So what if I do? You’re gonna have someone like that when you’re older.” He smirked at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew, no way! Girls are nasty.” Susie frowned at him. “Except you, because you’re an honorary Bad Dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gee, thanks. Maybe you can tell your future girlfriend that, too.” She laughed loudly, the rough sound making the guards burst back into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your highness, are you alright? Is someone choking?!” They quickly slithered up to the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, haha. Anyway, I’ll see you around, Lancer. Next time maybe I can pass a few laws for fun.” She walked behind his chair, heading out towards the roof.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, definitely! They have to do whatever I say, it’s really funny!” His ho ho ho’s grew quieter in the distance as she crossed the silent roof, getting an eerie feeling from what had happened there before. She felt a chill on her back, walking past what could have been her final resting place. The fountain was still there, but the stream had greatly weakened into the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh. I thought we turned that off. Oh well, hopefully it still works.” She approached the final stretch, standing before the thin beacon into the void above. Susie had no idea how she was supposed to work it, so she decided to try whatever came to mind. She was working with a strict time limit, here. “Can I just sorta…” She reached her hand out to it, and the energy beckoned towards her. It covered her hand in a cool moisture as it enveloped it, and the next time she blinked she was gone. Once again, she had just become some weirdo standing in an abandoned room with all the lights off. A smile grew across her face, and she chuckled to herself. Ralsei’s heart didn’t stand a fucking chance.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Touch Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Susie’s foot bounced on the tile floor of the classroom, growing more and more restless everytime she looked at the clock to see only a minute had passed. She only stopped when Kris turned around and gave her an annoyed look, making her stop mid bounce. She had to admit that she was a little freaked out by Kris actually reacting to things that happened around him, like she had to be extra careful now that he was a factor. They both had the same thing on their mind, but they forked off into different directions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie had to stop herself from making repeated faces of disgust and embarrassment, already having a feeling that she was going to have to do something tonight. As of now, her current goal was to try and be able to think of the words ‘Ralsei’ and ‘boyfriend’ without feeling the need to punch something to reassure herself that people couldn’t see a weak point in her. Would she hold his hand when they went to go get him? Would he try to do something, and if he did, how could she stop him without seeming like an asshole? She ran through hypothetical situations in her head, but it only increased her anxiety. What if people found out? Would Kris be safe to tell? She felt hesitant to tell him after what had happened the day before. Susie stared down at the top of Kris’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t talk to anyone but us, but…” She thought to herself. “If he let it slip to his mom, then she could tell someone else, and it could end up at them.” The very idea of her parents finding out about Ralsei made her stomach churn. “He probably already knows. Ralsei isn’t exactly the best secret keeper. Kris is kinda dumb, though.” She mulled it over for a while, and let her eyes drift around the room. The scenarios she ran by in her head began to absorb her more and more, soon just getting lost in her daydreams. “His fur is so soft, I hope he hugs me again. God knows I won’t be able to initiate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s head was awash with his own dilemmas, mostly about suddenly having to host two friends in a sleepover. At his house, in his room. He wouldn’t have time to decontaminate his room of anything that would make his friends think he was a total loser. With the browser tabs that he had open on his computer, he berated himself in his head for being so lazy and poor at remembering internet destinations. He just hoped that they didn’t nose around, especially not Susie. Not only because she was the most likely candidate for said nosiness, but also because she would be the one to make fun of him for the contraband he had stowed away in his room. He tried to make a mental map of objectives he needed to clear out or steer them away, but his time was up. The bell rang, and they both jumped in anticipation at what that meant. Susie and Kris both looked at each other, giving mutual grins of plotting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you wanna get him, or…?” Kris asked, trying not to make it seem like he was trying to pawn off pickup duty to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was gonna say, maybe you could go home and wait for us so you can uh...get things ready. I dunno what you got planned for this thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris smiled, his plan following through perfectly. “I have literally nothing in store for you guys, but we can come up with something. I have video games.” He walked out towards the classroom door backwards, giving her a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A nerd party? Perfect for us.” She flashed her golden smile, hanging back by her desk. She had forgotten how hard it was to do dark world visits right after school, having to wait for the people in the hallways to clear out. With an exhale she pretended to get her bag together at her desk slowly for what felt like way too long, feeling like just sitting back down at her desk would cause suspicion. It sparked up into a competition between her and Monster Kid, who was having a great deal of trouble getting his things into his sling bag. Susie glared at him out of the corner of her eye, losing her patience and walking over to his desk. He could feel the shadow casting over him, feeling like he was a movie character that just talked a whole load of shit about the titular monster. He slowly turned around with his breath held.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move.” Susie shoved him aside and put his notebook and textbook into the bag herself, screaming inside as she picked it up by the wet handle at the top and put the straps over his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo, uh…” He cleared his throat. “Thanks.” He turned and speed walked away, leaving Susie back in the classroom with her arms crossed. At least that was a good waste of time. When the hallway had begun to thin out, Susie once again snuck back into the closet, bothering to care about being seen even less this time. She had bigger fish to fry, hardly being startled at all by the floor giving out from under her anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I could just put my arm around him.” Was the first thing she thought when she opened her eyes on the cold ground of the dark world. “He doesn’t seem like the type for making out in public, but I’ll still tell him to cool it around other people.” She tried to build her gameplan as she slid down the cliffs to the town entrance. Before she crossed the barrier from dirt to brick, she ran it through one more time. “Arright, here we go. I go in, I tell him where we gotta go, then we go. I just gotta make an offhand mention about it to him.” She put her hands on her head and shook it around, trying to psyche herself up a little. Her feet crossed the barrier and turned the corner into the empty town, and the castle’s drawbridge door opened to let Ralsei outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie!” He immediately ran towards her, leaving a bag he was carrying onto the ground behind him. Susie didn’t know he could run like that, even after they chased Lancer to the castle. She waited for him to stop so she could talk to him, but she realized he wasn’t stopping much too late. Ralsei jumped into Susie, almost knocking her over backwards. “Are you here to take me to your world? I missed you so much!” His arms wrapped around her shoulders, making him stand on his tiptoes with his cheek pressed onto her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh...yeah.” She froze up, clearing her throat. “What are you bringing?” She sputtered out the first question that came to her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmh…” With a big squeeze (by his standards) Ralsei pulled away from her, brushing off his robe. “Sorry, I’m just very excited! To see the Light World, and to spend more time with you and Kris.” Susie felt jealous of his ability to wear his heart on his sleeve sometimes. Or in this case his robe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Uh, it’s alright. Don’t gotta apologize about it.” He walked back over to the bag he dropped and put it on over his shoulders. It looked like a little camping bag, the same shade of green has his hat and his robe. “I’m just bringin’ whatever’s in my pockets. Hey, can I ask you something?” She followed after him sheepishly, being met with his bright green glasses and brighter smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Susie. What is it?” He slowed down so they could walk side by side,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At risk of making another dumbass apology chain, I just thought maybe while we’re there, we don’t do anything uh...couple-y? No offense, but I’d like to keep this a secret for now.” She tried to just look forward and slowly inch her hand towards his. “But if we’re alone, go nuts. I just uh, I don’t know, man. I’m bad at this.” Her hand stopped, feeling discouraged. “The whole lovey dovey sweetness shit. I’m not used to it, and I sure as hell aint sweet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s smile faltered, turning to look at her as they strolled through the dead courtyard. “Susie, don’t say those things about yourself. I think you are very sweet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She raised an eyebrow at him, looking skeptical. “Me? Now I know you’re just saying that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei shook his head. “When I walked you to the fountain that first time, and you called me, um, a cute weirdo, I stood there for just about an hour. I think you are very kind, at least when you want to be.” He patted her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, did you just sass me?” She grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I didn’t mean to. I-I was just saying that…” He felt Susie’s hand on his far shoulder, pulling him towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Ralsei. Really. You don’t gotta walk on eggshells with me.” Her arm was resting on his shoulders and neck, and she prayed that he couldn’t feel the sweat on her palms. “Are you ready?” The fountain billowed out before them. Ralsei looked hesitant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting a little bit of the jitters, if I’m being honest.” She felt his shoulders tense up, nudging her arm off him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can, uh.” The last part of her sentence got caught in her throat. “Hold my hand if you’re scared.” Her heart thumped as she felt his fingers lock in with hers, holding onto him tightly so they wouldn’t be separated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, don’t think about it, just do it…” Ralsei said to himself, clenching his hands and closing his eyes. He was yanked inside with Susie, who had taken his advice. “WAIT!” His voice was drowned out by the fountain, leaving him panting on the floor of the blackened classroom. “S-Susie? Susie?!” He immediately began to panic, no longer feeling her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey! I’m here. Try to keep your voice down.” She flicked the light switch, making them both shield their eyes for a moment. “We gotta sneak out of here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei adjusted his glasses and squinted in the light. “Urgh, I know it’s called the Light World, but this is a bit excessive.” He grumbled as he got up, his eyes adjusting to the light. His outfit had become split in two, a hoodie and shirt with his usual heart design on it, and a pair of sweatpants. They were all the same shade of green, leaving him completely matching aside from his scarf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice fit. Gonna get wet from all the drip you got there.” God she wished Kris was there right then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? We better get going then.” He got his bearings and looked up at Susie with a gasp. “Susie, you look different…!” His reaction made her sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, everyone does up here. Try not to act too surprised, alright?” She opened the door out into the hallways, the back half of the sun shining through the windows. There were still people in the school, but nobody would dare or care to ask what she was doing. “Also, don’t look at the giant ball of light in the sky.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow…” He rubbed his eyes under his glasses, having already put his face up to the window. “You just live with that there all the time? How do you not look at it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie shrugged. “I never really thought about it. I guess you just get used to it. Come on, we gotta walk to Kris’s house.” She put her hand on his back and led him to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris repeated a chorus of sing-song swears to himself quietly as he dug around under his bed. “They wouldn’t see any of this stuff, right? Why would they look under here?” He mumbled to himself, pushing his secrets down further against the wall. He figured to use the wrapping paper and boxes containing old christmas presents he never used as a barrier to hide his secrets, checking off the last thing in his Hide From My Friends So They Don’t Think I’m A Fucking Loser checklist. He pulled his head out from under his bed and laid on his back onto the floor, feeling a bit sweaty. He had laid out everything he could think of to be used for the sleepover so it was far away from the Danger Zone, and realized he forgot about something. He got up and looked in his nightstand drawer, taking out ol’ reliable. His weird looking curvy knife. He almost wanted to throw it away himself, but he couldn’t help but to take it out sometimes and just...hold it. It was a strange feeling, but not a particularly offensive one. He lifted his mattress and stuck it underneath, letting it plop back down with a thud. He laid down onto his bed and shut his eyes for a second, but his open window lent him access to voices that were approaching his house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, Kris’s house looks so nice. I can’t wait to meet another human, I’ve heard so much about them.” An excited, slightly nasally male voice rang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh...yeah.” The voice’s rougher sounding female companion responded with a pause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess I better go down there so mom doesn’t give me shit about being a bad host.” He hopped up and went downstairs. Kris worried about having two people in his room all night, especially with the kind of things he had around, but the tightest knot in his stomach was from his deepest, darkest secret. “God, Jesus, Xenu, anybody.” Kris hummed to himself as he hit the kitchen floor with his feet. “Please don’t let them find my plushies.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Scary Monsters and Super Creeps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The door was already open by the time Kris got in line of sight with it, his mother having intercepted it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh dear, I think we have the wrong house. We’re so sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Ralsei’s voice said from in front of Toriel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie laughed loudly, the cacophonous noise punching through the large furry barrier between her and Kris as he went to the door. “Nah, this is the place. Kris is adopted, but I just wanted to see the look on your face.” Her face draining of humor indicated that Toriel didn’t seem too happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Are you Kris’s friends?” Toriel looked behind her to see who Ralsei was waving at. “Your friends are here, Kris. You didn’t tell me there would be two people coming over, but isn’t that a lovely surprise…” She smiled, but Kris could feel the ice behind her eyes. “Come in, please.” Toriel moved aside so the two could enter, going back to sit in her chair. “I know Susie, but I don’t believe I have seen you around.” She looked at Ralsei, who seemed to be put off by something. “I would have thought I’d remember another boss monster walking around town.” She smiled at him warmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Ralsei, it is a pleasure to meet you.” He began to kneel towards Toriel, but Susie pulled him back up by his collar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful, you almost fell over.” She nudged him in the arm and subtly shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Um, my apologies, I um,” Ralsei stammered, pushing Kris over the edge of his awkwardness tolerance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you guys wanna go to my room?” He asked quietly, like he was trying not to sound excited in front of his mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie smiled and patted Ralsei’s back. “Absolutely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei had abandoned the conversation with Toriel, scooting his body behind Susie so he felt less stared at. “Um, you have a very nice house, Ms...um. I don’t believe I caught your name, madame.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madame? Heavens, I don’t look that old, do I?” Toriel laughed awkwardly. “You may call me Toriel, child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris had walked on into the kitchen, beckoning the other two over with his hand frantically. “Come on.” He mouthed to them repeatedly. Susie and Ralsei followed him and went up the stairs in a line, Susie beginning to snicker once some distance was gained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Real smooth, Ralsei. Did you try to kiss her hand?” She looked back at him once at the top of the stairs. “We definitely gotta tell you how to do stuff here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I was being polite.” His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. “I didn’t know, and I’m a little shaken up right now.” Susie’s tormenting grin disappeared. “I’ve never seen anyone who looks like me before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris continued down the hall until he got to his room, opening it and peeking his head inside just to make sure nothing scandalous was out. Luckily, the two seemed to be talking about something so they didn’t notice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I’m sorry, alright. Just don’t do any old timey prince-y stuff, okay? No clue how we would even begin to explain that.” Susie rubbed his shoulder, but lifted her hand into a shrug when Kris looked back out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you guys doing?” He held his hand on the doorknob. “You scared of what you might see?” He smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. Come on, Ralsei. You’re not gonna tell us you’re responsible for killing like 8 people, are you?” She grinned and lumbered over to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck around and find out.” He opened the door with his back, pushing it as he entered. Board games and video game cases were piled up on Asriel’s old bed, and a blanket and pillows had been put over the rug in the middle of the room, but aside from that the room looked rather underwhelming to Susie. It was just like she imagined it, in the sense that she had literally no idea what Kris’s room would actually look like. Ralsei went over to Asriel’s side and looked up at all the trophies put up on the shelf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, Kris. Are these all yours?” He got up on his tiptoes to try and read them. Susie sat onto Kris’s bed, looking around at the empty walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, those are my brother’s.” He stared at Ralsei from behind, the pride in Ralsei’s voice filling him with malice. “This is his side, that’s my side.” He pointed at the floor, then over at his bed. “Don’t break my bed, Susie.” Kris sat down onto the rug in the center of the room, laying onto his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t put a bunch of crap on the only other seat in here. Besides, you got a comfortable bed.” She put her feet up, looking at Kris splayed out on the ground with a flat face. “Uh, maybe we can get you some posters or something, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. I’m good. What do you guys wanna do, now that we’re here?” He tilted his head to look at them both. Ralsei had begun to entertain himself with the computer chair, sitting in it and wiggling his hips to make it move back and forth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This chair is quite fun, Kris! But you can have it if you want, since I am a guest.” He stopped it with his feet on the ground and sat down on the floor with Kris. “Are you comfortable, Susie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She crossed her legs and put her arms back. “Yeah, but it’s a bit small for me.” She found herself wondering if it would be too uncomfortable for them both to fit in one. “But uh, yeah, we were talking about stuff we could do?” She quickly sat up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, are you alright? You seem down.” Ralsei adjusted his legs so he was sitting criss cross. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris rolled his eyes over to Ralsei with an unamused look, but his lack of reaction indicated he wasn’t making a pun. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie hopped off the bed and sat across from the two, completing the triangle. “Come on, Kris. We’re here to do dumb shit and have fun, not brood and wallow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if you wanted to talk about how you felt, I think that would be a rewarding experience for all.” Ralsei clasped his hands together. Kris brushed his hair back and sat up with a yawn. “Alright, let’s do something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Let’s do it!”Susie laid onto her front, resting up on her arms. “Ideas.” Her finger bounced between Ralsei and Kris. “We could go out and do something, or stay here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess we could go to a restaurant or something.” Kris hugged his shins and rested his chin on his knees. “If you guys are hungry.” Susie sank lower to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m always hungry, you down for that Rals?” Her excitement spread to him like a disease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds great, I’d love to try some of your food! Um, is it alright if I leave this here?” He took his bag off and put it on the ground by the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Kris grunted as he got up, being followed by the two monsters with him. “Do you guys wanna walk or get my mom to drive us? I’d rather walk so we can just go to whatever looks cool.” He stretched his arms back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d prefer to spend as little time around your mom as possible. I can’t look at her without worrying she’s gonna give me a death stare for taking someone’s crayons.” Ralsei looked concerned. “Your mom is nice and all, but she’s scary, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’d rather not have to face her again given my humiliation.” He dug around into his pockets for a moment and pulled out a wallet. “I can pay for us, don’t worry! I have plenty of money back at home.” Ralsei smiled, opening his wallet to look through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell yeah. Let’s do it!” She clapped loudly, startling Ralsei and making Kris wince.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do that.” Kris snapped at her, drawing Ralsei to get between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, guys. It’ll be like old times! Which was, um, a few days ago. But it feels like forever ago, doesn’t it?” He rubbed both of their arms. “Why don’t you lead, Kris? Since you know where you’re going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...you should go tell your mom, I gotta school Ralsei on some stuff first. We’ll be right down.” She glanced over at Ralsei with a predatory look on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. You’re paying, Ralsei? She’ll say yes if she doesn’t have to give us money.” He hung by the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I suppose so. I’d love to treat you two!” He clapped a few times in succession, but the fur on his hands made them quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweet.” Kris disappeared into the hallway, leaving Susie and Ralsei alone. She waited until she heard him go down the stairs before starting to talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, a few things you should know.” She cleared her throat. “When you meet somebody, all you gotta do is say hello, nice to meet ya, that kind of stuff. It’s not that formal, got that?” Ralsei nodded. “Another thing. Just chill, okay? You don’t have to keep doing the royalty friendship schtick. All that stuff is over.” Her hand caressed his cheek as her grin grew across her face like a vine. “One more thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris jumped down the last 2 steps into the kitchen, walking over to where Toriel was sitting with the newspaper. “Hey mom, can we go walk to a restaurant?” He pointed his thumb towards the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toriel looked up from what she was reading, then looked towards where her son was pointing to make sure he was alone. “Sure, Kris. But I’m not paying.” Kris nodded impatiently. “Also, you did not tell me you were having two friends over. I would have said yes if you had asked me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was kinda last minute, and I’d feel bad if I had to tell her no. Sorry.” He grew more timid as his mouth opened. Toriel sighed and flattened her mouth out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Kris. Just make sure I know next time.” She still sounded annoyed, but not enough to where she was going to do anything about it. Two sets of footsteps were coming down the stairs, making Kris back up to meet them in the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, am I supposed to keep my eyes closed or not…?” Ralsei’s voice muffled into the walls of the stairway. “You opened yours, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, shh. Later.” Susie hushed him, giggling to herself deeply. “Yo, Kris.” She called out when she entered the kitchen. “If we’re going we better leave soon before it gets dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It gets dark?” Ralsei tilted his head as Kris hopped on one foot to get his shoes and socks on. He looked down at his own feet, and felt a little exposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you not bring shoes?” Kris got down to tie his shoes up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’ve never really had any before.” He rubbed his wrist, getting an odd look from Toriel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, get Ralsei a pair of Asriel’s old shoes from the closet. It’s hard for us to find shoes that fit, isn’t it?” Toriel gave Ralsei a reassuring smile as Kris went upstairs. “So, where do you live, Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart dropped into his stomach like an anvil. “Oh, um...I-I uh…” He looked at Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He lives in my neighborhood, it’s over in Southtree.” She answered for him. “He’s...homeschooled.” She rubbed the back of her head, and Toriel looked to be connecting the non existent dots in her head. She smiled at Ralsei again, feeling a little bad for being unforgiving before. Kris came back with a pair of shoes, handing them to Ralsei along with some socks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those were all I could find, they might be a little big.” He shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, thank you anyway, Kris.” He slipped them on and tied the knots, surprising Kris and Susie a little by knowing how to. “Alright, I’m ready.” He smiled proudly, stepping in place with his shoes being a little too big for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t stay out too late, children. Oh, you’re hardly children anymore.” She put her hand to her cheek. “Be back by 9 pm, and check your phone, Kris.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” He opened the door and led them out into the orange bathing town. “I don’t think we’re even gonna get there before it gets dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, I hate winter. Fall’s a bitch, too.” Susie kept her hands in her pockets, chattering her teeth from the sudden cold of the sun going down. “I shoulda brought a real jacket.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you cold, Susie? I can give you my coat, my fur keeps me plenty warm even without it.” He was already taking his hoodie off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, don’t worry about it. I’m fine, and we won’t be outside for long. Probably wouldn’t fit me, anyway.” She kept her hands in her pockets, already feeling slowed down from the low temperature seeping into her scales.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but if you want to, don’t hesitate to ask.” He looked ahead at her back, wishing that he could hug onto her arm for warmth. He remembered what she asked of him, and he wanted to respect that, but he admittedly felt a little confused after what they had just done in Kris’s room. He couldn’t bear to think of it any longer, and pushed it out of his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After about 10 minutes of walking, Susie shivered and quickly began looking around for quite literally any place they could get food. “What about that place? QC’s?” It was the first place Susie saw, and she had never actually been there. She just walked past it everyday, and never saw anybody ever go in or leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that sign is so pretty. How do they make it glow like that?” Ralsei marveled up at the sign on the front wall of the diner. Susie smiled, finding his amazement at mundane things cute. But then she thought about it, and realized she didn’t really know how it lit up either, beyond saying ‘electricity’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. You good with that, Ralsei? This town doesn’t have very many restaurants.” Kris looked back at the caboose of their party.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Kris. I’m excited, and I’ll be happy to go anywhere you take me!” He clapped his fuzzy hands together again, sounding like two dry board erasers hitting each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go in.” Susie pushed past Kris and into the diner, feeling the warmth blow by her as she pushed the glass doors open. She let out a low growl of satisfaction, moving to the side so her companions could come in as well. It was almost empty despite it being friday night, but the place only had a few tables anyway. Ralsei looked around at the decorated restaurant as if he was at an art gallery, faint music coming in from the digital jukebox as a rabbit monster hopped out to the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Evenin’, Kris. Still bringin’ in new business I see. You need a table, hon?” Kris nodded. “Alright, pick whichever one you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie slid into a booth, whistling over to Ralsei to get his attention. His ears perked up and he walked back over to where the booth was, sitting next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, okay.” Kris scoffed teasingly, scooting into the seat opposite of Susie. “Maybe I wanted to sit at the identical booth behind us.” He moved his head around mockingly and fake pouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna go sit over there after we order and see if they notice?” Susie leaned in to whisper, chuckling. Kris grinned mischievously and looked behind him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe, but I wanna figure out what to order first.” He picked up the menu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did that woman know your name, Kris?” Ralsei looked down, feeling something touch his hand. He smiled and touched it back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I come here a lot. Or I used to at least,with my family. Gimme a sec, I’m trying to figure out my order.” He thought hard at the menu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, the people that work here know your name but you don’t remember what’s on the menu?” Susie felt something grab onto her hand gently. She tried not to react.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, my brain runs on like 2 megabytes of ram, and half of it is for memorizing all the Pokémon cries.” Kris pointed at Susie, resting his elbow on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gee, I’m not really sure what any of that means, Kris, but it sounds very impressive.” Ralsei smiled at him. “Oh, what should I get?” Ralsei flipped through the menu with his free hand, just flipping the one page of it over and over. “Hamburjers...sausage...what is all this stuff?” He scratched his head, growing anxious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you eat meat? Your teeth are pretty sharp.” Susie leaned forward to try and look at his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, thank you? I don’t have meat very often, besides what I can get from Seam. What do you think I should get?” He pushed the menu over and rotated it so Kris and Susie could both see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get pancakes, you like that kind of stuff, right? Cakes?” Kris pointed at its menu listing, then at a photo that was printed on the menu of a stack of them. “Those things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s breakfast food, dude. It’s a fragile balance you’re fucking up here, Kris.” Ralsei pulled the menu closer to look at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch the language, hon.” The rabbit behind the counter gave a small frown, as Susie was speaking at normal speaking volume in a small room. Susie pretended not to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They do look good, I think I’ll have these.” His tail made a noise as it rubbed against the fabric of the booth. The rabbit hopped over to them, holding a pen and paper. “Are y’all ready to order, now?” They all looked at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Kris was the one to speak up. “Can I get the fried chicken sandwich?” He looked at the menu to read off it like he hadn’t rehearsed it in his head a dozen times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, hon.” She turned to look at Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have the mushroom swiss burger, and two orders of fries.” She kept her hungry grin up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. And what about you, Azzy? College been treatin’ you ok?” She smiled at Ralsei, who returned the look with a blank stare. Suddenly, he seemed to come back to life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, are you talking to me…?” He pointed at himself, his eyes widening with fear and worry. He looked to Susie and Kris again for help, unaware that it was her error and not knowing what he was supposed to say in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wrong guy. His name is Ralsei.” Kris smiled awkwardly, fidgeting with his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, my mistake, baby. What can I get you, Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat. “Um, could I please have the, um…” His eyes quickly scanned the menu. “The strawberry pancakes?” He spoke like he was answering a question he didn’t know in class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing. Anything else?” They shook their heads. “It’ll be right out, sugar.” She walked back behind the counter, into the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things are much cheaper here, so that’s good. I only have to use a 50.” Ralsei pulled out his wallet again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have to pay yet, so just relax.” Susie yawned, looking out the window beside their booth. They didn’t talk for a little while, just listening to the noises in the kitchen and the music coming out of the speakers. Ralsei looked out the window too, but because of the light in the diner they couldn’t see much of anything outside. Kris was looking at his phone, and neither of them noticed they were looking at each other’s reflection the whole time. After what felt like no time at all, a waitress brought their food out to them. They each took their respective dishes and ate with relatively little conversation. Susie was too busy eating, Ralsei was trying to figure out how to operate his pancakes, and Kris was just being himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are very good. Thank you for suggesting we come here, Susie.” The scratchy noise behind Ralsei came back once again, making Susie smile with a mouthful of fries. Once they finished, the waitress came back and gave them the check before walking off again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I pay now?” Ralsei held his wallet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you just put it in that little black booklet there.” Susie passed the check over to Ralsei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, here you go. I hope they don’t mind, I gave them extra because I don’t have exact change.” Ralsei smiled and took out a bill, but it looked to be the wrong color. Susie’s blood froze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, uh, Kris? You didn’t happen to bring your wallet, did you?” She looked at the human across from her, who was looking at his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Why?” He rubbed his eyes, putting his leftovers into a styrofoam container. Susie nudged her head in the direction of Ralsei, making Kris look. His wallet was full of play money from Monopoly. “I didn’t bring mine either.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Crocodile Rock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are you guys ready to go, or...why do you keep looking at each other? Is something wrong?” Ralsei shut the book, his purple bill with a big 50 in the middle of it being sandwiched in between it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie looked at Kris once again, who only gave her a shrug. “Uh, yeah. Nothing’s wrong, I mean. I was just thinking we should probably hurry, because it’s getting dark. Wouldn’t wanna get on Kris’s mom’s bad side.” Kris nodded eagerly in agreement, standing up and trying to avoid eye contact with the woman at the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she’s right. I wouldn’t want Susie to get scared, either.” Kris grinned, walking over to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Kris. Whatever’s out there better be scared of me!” She got up and jogged after him. “Hey, it aint a race...wait up!” Susie knew she was as good a navigator as a duckling, and about as fearsome as one when it came to things in the dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Susie, I’ll make sure nothing bad happens.” Ralsei was suddenly behind her, patting her arm. But the sound of the manager’s voice made her more scared than any boogeyman could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, y’all are so sweet together! I woulda given you a discount on your bill if you told me you were before.” Her smile made Kris nauseous, already thinking of excuses he could make to his dad to not go to the diner ever again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank you so much!” Ralsei felt a hand grab onto his arm, dragging him away towards the exit. He stumbled and walked with it, turning his head to see Susie’s back, along with her hand on his arm. “Ow, um, you’re hurting me a little, Susie…” He pushed her arm away gently, feeling it relinquish its hold on him once they were outside. Her face wasn’t visible from where he was standing, but Kris had a cheeky smile spreading across his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what’d she say? What’d you say, Ralsei?” He was bumped aside by Susie, leading them to what she remembered as the way they came. The sky was a dark blue, the first stars of the night coming out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. Doesn’t matter.” She slowed down until she heard the other two walking with her, letting Kris overtake her so she could relax the tiniest bit. The hot air coming out of her nostrils was visible in the cold air, puffing out like smoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, are you...I’m sorry. I was just trying to be nice.” Ralsei apologized, oblivious to what had happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys know I don’t care if you are dating, right? I mean, it’s kinda obvious.” Kris cut in between them, watching Ralsei tug onto his ears in distress. He didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to break Susie’s promise, either. So he decided to compromise, and just say nothing. “Uh, okay. Am I really goading you guys into talking now? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around.” The insects of the night chimed in to mirror Susie and Ralsei’s laughter at his joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought she was talking about all three of us, like we were a good team. Susie?” He put his hand on her elbow, and that tripped the bear trap. Susie jerked her arm away and turned around to snap at him, because sad Susie is mad Susie, and mad Susie is dumb Susie. But before her insults and anger could reach her mouth, calling him stupid for not knowing better, he saw how concerned he was. He looked scared. Susie’s brain quickly gained a new objective, and that was to make Ralsei stop making that face before she hit something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Know what?” Susie finally let her words out, and she raised her arm. “Yeah, we are dating. So what?” Her arm was put around Ralsei, pulling him to her side. He looked stunned, and his eyes darted around in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I literally just said I didn’t care.” Kris turned around and shrugged. “Just don’t let my mom find out so she doesn’t flip her shit. Seriously, she’d probably kick you out, or make us leave the door open or something. But, it does make a lot of sense, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei was still reeling from the whiplash he was experiencing, being practically carried along by Susie. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She narrowed her eyes at the smug human prancing around in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys were flirting the whole time we were trying to seal that fountain, it was hard to watch.” He cackled, making Susie miss the times when he never laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did have a sneaking suspicion that was what was happening.” Ralsei looked up at her with a flustered look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was not! When I tease, it’s to tease! You’re one to talk, Kris. You flirted with probably a dozen people in like 4 hours.” She worried the streetlights on Kris’s street would reveal the heat in her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, that wasn’t me.” Kris put his hands up. “That was ol’ soul buddy, not me.” He talked about it like they were an old friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. I’m done talking about this. Think about something cool for us to do at your house, Mr. Hostboy.” Her scales glinted in the light of the lamps. Ralsei was enthralled by the night sky, keeping his head tilted up to look at it. He was so lost in the light of the moon and the stars that he would have walked right into the back of Toriel’s car had Susie not pulled him aside. “Watch where you’re going, dude. I forgot you’ve never seen any of this stuff before, but pay attention.” She took her arm off him, preparing to go inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? I’m sorry, I was distracted by the sky. Is it always so pretty?” Ralsei felt like he had a chance to say something, and dug deep for it. “But, um, I think the same thing about you…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie rolled her eyes and Kris desperately tried to ignore them. “Dork.” She scoffed, but she was still smiling with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was fast.” Toriel looked up from a stack of papers in her lap, then looked over at her phone to see the time. “Where all did you go?” Her voice faded in as they entered the warm house once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just to QC’s.” Kris was already walking away while he answered, forcing Ralsei and Susie to follow him. Kris ran up the stairs, only feeling relief when he was at the top. “So, am I gonna have to sleep on the floor so you two get separate beds?” He panted, showing his shit eating grin as he opened the door for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re guests, Kris. I’d hate to kick you out of your bed like that.” Ralsei lowered his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s messing with us, Ralsei.” Susie smacked him gently on the back, going inside and laying down onto the makeshift floor-bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, really? I guess I’m not really used to hearing it from Kris. I’m still adjusting to the swearing…” Ralsei rubbed the side of his head with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, we’ll get you swearing like a pro real soon.” Susie put one knee up, patting the ground beside her. Ralsei hesitantly sat next to her, glancing over at Kris in his computer chair. He was lounging back in it, locking his fingers together like a mafioso.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Start with ass and work your way up.” His smile oozed with sleaze. “I honestly can’t tell if you guys are actually a thing or it’s a joke.” He turned the chair and began to look around on the computer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A joke? What kind of joke is pretending to date somebody? That’s the shittiest joke I’ve ever heard.” She laid her arm out so Ralsei could use it as a pillow, but he still looked unsure about it all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’s Ralsei look so nervous, then? You making him do this or something?” He spoke bluntly, keeping his face towards the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t that, Kris. I am really quite fond of Susie, but…” He sat up and looked at his draconian partner. “Am I allowed to, um...be affectionate with Kris around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, but if you guys start doing weird stuff I’m gonna spray you with a spritz bottle.” His grin curled to the side of his face, looking like it was lacking real feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, man. Just watch out for his mom, I guess.” Susie patted the ground with her arm. “Also, tell anyone and you’re dead.” She glared at Kris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t threaten your friends, Susie…” Ralsei was too timid to scold her, so it came out more like talking down to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” He kept his flat face up. “Don’t get too comfortable, we’re gonna play a game. You’re gonna love it.” Kris giggled to himself, typing on the keyboard. “Ralsei, this is all you.” He spun his chair around to face them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A game? What kind of game?” Ralsei hopped up to his feet, almost stepping on Susie out of restrained excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s on the computer. This rectangle here. I’ll show you, come here.” Susie could smell the deceit in Kris’s words, getting up after Ralsei and watching from over their shoulders. Music was coming out of the speakers faintly, and Susie looked at the game’s title screen as Kris tried to teach Ralsei what a keyboard was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude. You’re not making Ralsei play anything that’ll freak him out.” Susie spun the chair so Kris faced her. “No scary shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s smile stretched. “What do you mean? I’m not.” The game’s title screen flashed with lightning. “It’s easy, you just have to walk. In the game I mean. You use these buttons to control your guy.” He went back to explain to Ralsei, who looked a little overwhelmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really. The game called ‘Spooky’s Jumpscare Mansion’ isn’t a horror game. Are you trying to kill him?” She turned the chair back around again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quit doing that! And no, it’s just the name. It’s not ACTUALLY scary, it’s like…” He paused. “Batman isn’t actually a knight, is he? They just call his movies that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I don’t think I want to play this game, it sounds dangerous. Also, um, I don’t really like the idea of controlling someone else.” He took his hands away from the keyboard. “It seems in poor taste.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are no fun.” Kris whined and closed the game back to the desktop. “What if you watched me play one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you wanna scare us so bad? Or uh, Ralsei.” Susie breathed a quick sigh of relief when he closed the game. She could handle gore, but stuff jumping out at her was a no-go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s funny.” Kris exhaled out his nose and smiled at the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we could all do something together. It could help us improve our team skills.” Ralsei tried to redirect the conversation for Susie’s sake. “Nothing scary, preferably. Although I’m not sure how a game could be scary.” Susie and Kris looked at Ralsei with the same idea. “Oh. Jevil? I knew things would turn out okay, so I wasn’t scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really have that much faith in us? We were kinda freaking out that whole fight, if you couldn’t tell.” Kris rotated in his chair. “But thanks, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, come on. You gotta admit we are a pretty sick team.” Susie crossed her arms proudly. Ralsei smiled and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could see, yes. I think we all make a great team too, but that isn’t why I was so sure. I know that we’re protected.” His eyes closed and he hugged Susie from the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, what do you mean? Like, how we’re so cool?” Susie made a joke to deflect her flustered expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Susie. I know we’ll always be safe because He gifts us blessings through my healing spells, and always makes sure fate is on our side. I’m so happy to finally share it with you guys, I’ve waited so long!” He bounced in place, rubbing his head on Susie like a purring cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who?” Kris stopped spinning, beginning to look dizzy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know? Um, I guess it was less obvious than I thought.” Ralsei pulled his head back. “I’m talking about the Knight, he’s been mentioned a few times I remember. Although, maybe not by the best people...but I promise he is good! He’s a hero of legend who is said to return one day to slay the Angel, but the Angel...wait, I can tell you guys the story. If you want, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie mulled it over, sitting down onto Asriel’s bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. But only if you do the voice you did when you told us the legend of the fountains and stuff.” Susie leaned forward in her seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it means you guys will stop canoodling for like 5 minutes, sure, why not.” Kris tilted his head back. “But don’t talk too loud about Angel killing or my mom will get mad. It’s kinda like the main religion of the people here.” Ralsei looked horrified, holding his hands out to the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, okay? The Angel is destined to lose, and fall with its own destructive visions. The Knight will come, and He’ll free everyone. I promise.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. A Trick Of The Tail</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ralsei cleared his throat and smiled confidently. He always had a much easier time remembering this story, while the other one took hours of rereading to memorize properly. In fact, Ralsei couldn’t remember the first time he heard it at all. But little did he know, this legend was never foretold, or passed down by another living soul. Ralsei had known it by heart for as long as he could remember, but he really had no idea why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Years ago, but not many, a Lightner appeared in the Kingdom of Darkness. It had long since been abandoned, but the Lightner had no intent on leaving.Why that is, nobody knows, but everyday he would come to the fountain and pray to the Angel. He asked for it to give him strength, and to strike down his human peers.” Susie turned to look at Kris, who gave her an unamused glare. “The anguish in his soul corrupted the Angel, who had been starved of worship for too long to discriminate that which it received. One day, the Angel answered. Its voice was soft, and was filled with pity. The Angel had grown quite attached to the Lightner, and apologized for being unable to reach his homeworld. While the Angel is worshipped mainly in your world, it’s actually a religion left over from when Darkners and Lightners were together.” He broke out of his storytelling voice to fill in the gaps of information in the legend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, hold on a second.” Susie cut in. “Was this dude a human or a monster? Or did you already say, and I just wasn’t paying enough attention.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, it’s alright. The Lightner in this story was a monster, as the Angel is the protector of all monsters. At least, it’s supposed to be. The Angel hadn’t been aware of such suffering going on in the Light Realm, as it followed those banished to the Dark to soothe their misery. It struck up a deal with the Lightner, promising eternal reward in exchange for the invocation of the Angel itself, from the spiritual form to a physical one. To do this, the Lightner was instructed to bring 7 artifacts to the dark fountain, and stab them into the ground before it. These artifacts were 7 daggers, each with the blades said to be smithed from the souls of humans themselves. It told him that in order to bring the Angel forth he had to bring the souls of the humans who had hurt him the most, and stake their ends into the soil. The Lightner agreed, and returned to the fountain with the souls. They were tied crudely onto the hilts of kitchen knives with the original blade removed, and sharpened against a stone. The souls convulsed and struggled in pain, but the Lightner’s heart had been corrupted too much to care, and actively revelled in their suffering. To monsters, hatred is like poison that kills us from the inside, and this Lightner was far beyond saving. He thrusted each soul into the ground, but nothing happened. The Angel had tricked him, and it laughed at him. It turns out that the whole ritual had been nothing but a test of loyalty, and the Lightner had passed with flying colors. The Angel truly only needed a vessel, one that it could pilot and make its own, and this Lightner seemed to be the perfect candidate. The Angel invaded the Lightner’s very being, but it had underestimated his will. With the Lightner’s determination, the possession became an all out war between the two souls. They became so damaged, that the souls became warped and altered versions of their original selves. They melded together, and became one reborn. But at the cost of this, they both had their memories destroyed and their form returned to infancy. Despite being a being of near deity level power, the Angel was still an even match for this Lightner. This fused being is destined to become the bringer of doom upon Light and Dark, spreading death and destruction wherever they go.” His voice was somber, and he dramatically bowed his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But there is still hope, for there is one who will rise up and strike the Angel down. A valiant knight will overcome it, and He will bring peace to both worlds. They’ll both be freed of their shackles, and Darkners and Lightners will once again live together in eternal peace.” Ralsei shut his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that it?” Kris and Susie looked at each other after sitting in silence for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup! Pretty exciting, isn’t it? It’s a lot more fun to tell stories when you don’t have the pressure of actually making sure they come true looming over your head…” Ralsei rubbed his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s not worry about any more legendary crap for now. All that stuff is over and done with, alright? But I will say that one was way cooler than the first one.” Susie looked up at the ceiling, laying flat on her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank you. Some of it was paraphrased, but I got all the points down. I don’t tell that one as often.” He plopped down onto the floor with his legs crossed. Kris was typing away on the computer, scrolling through various news sites.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said he killed 7 humans? When did all this happen? I found a news story about three humans getting killed by their son, a monster, in 2004.” He pointed at the screen and turned around. “Says they never got the guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, cut it out.” Susie sat up in her seat, seeing Ralsei’s face contort into disturbance. “You know what you’re doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? I’m interested, even if it is fake.” Kris shrugged, skimming through the article some more. “Where do you hear these stories anyway, Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked a little offended, his brow furrowing. “Fake? It isn’t fake, I know it!” He crossed his arms. “I read them in books, but I don’t ever really remember reading them the first time…” He rubbed his head. “But some things you just feel like you’ve always known.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie mushed her face around in her hands, dreading the conversation with Ralsei that she was inevitably going to have to have. Maybe he’s spent a little too much time by himself. “Stories can just be fun, but let’s not argue about it. Do you guys just wanna watch a movie or something? I’m in the mood for a story I don’t have to just picture in my head now.” She got up and stood by Ralsei, rubbing his head sympathetically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A movie? What’s a movie?” Ralsei tilted his head back to look up at her curiously, his ears flopping back over his shoulders. Kris closed the web browser he was looking at and rubbed his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re gonna have to do that thing they do in time travel movies where all the jokes are just about people reacting to new technology, aren’t we?” He got up and brushed his hair aside. “It’s like a visual story put on a screen, like a really high production value stage play. If we wanted to watch one we’d have to wait until my mom goes to bed, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting. But, um, what is a stage play?” Ralsei looked back forward at Kris, smiling nervously due to Susie rubbing his horns up and down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus, dude. Give me something to work with here.” Kris groaned and looked through the pile of games that was now on the floor. “Also, quit doing that, it’s weird.” He nodded his head up at Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, they feel cool. Do you ever headbutt anything, Rals?” She grinned and tilted his head around with his horns like handlebars. “You’re the one making it weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um...no?” Ralsei let his head be bobbled around, not wanting to ruin anybody’s fun. “Why would this be weird? I think it is kinda fun, and feels nice on my neck. I’m interested in the movie thing, can we try one? If nobody has any other ideas, I mean.” Ralsei sheepishly trailed his voice off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not weird, Kris is just jealous of your horns. Let Ralsei pick a movie, he’s the guest here.” Susie gave a toothy smirk at Kris, making him shut up before she could bring up any embarrassing memories.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me? I don’t know, I’m actually a little tired. Maybe we could all just...enjoy each other’s presence?” Ralsei picked up Susie’s hands and hugged them to his chest. “I feel a little overwhelmed with all these new things, and I think I’m ready to check in for the night.” Ralsei felt slow and fatigued, but mostly just in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, whatever that means. We can just chill and talk about stuff, if you want.” Kris shrugged and turned back towards his computer. “I’ll just be dicking around on here, but I’m still around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I know! We can play games to get to know each other.” Ralsei felt the cohesion of the sleepover starting to dissolve, and felt panicked to bring it back in. “What’s something that you’ve always wanted to know about one of us, Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey now. I don’t like where this is going. That’s probably the scariest game that’s been suggested all night.” Susie lifted her hands and stole the glasses off of Ralsei’s face. “How do these stay on your face? How do Alphys’s…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris turned around in his chair, seeming much more interested now. “Anything? Hm. Alright, Susie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kept fiddling with his glasses to try and ignore him. “Um, Susie, can I please have my glasses back? I can’t see very well without them.” He looked naked without them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright, just ask the question. But I reserve the right to tell you to shove it.” She handed Ralsei his glasses back and laid onto the floor spot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I won’t get an answer for this one, then.” Kris smiled deviously. “But I always wondered. I’ve seen your mom and your dad, and uh...where is your tail?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was better than what she thought he was going to ask her, but not by much. “What do you mean ‘where’s my tail’? I was just born weird. I have one, but…” Susie rubbed her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a tail? I walked behind you all that time and I never saw it.” Ralsei leaned over her to look over her side. “Can you show us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?! No, I’m not gonna pull my pants down and show you my weird little gimp tail.” She rolled onto her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would have thought Ralsei had already seen it, in that case.” Kris put his feet up onto the computer desk, seeing the blood go to her face in real time. “So you guys aren’t dating after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, I swear to god.” She bared her teeth. “I answered your question, and that’s it. You don’t get another one. I wish I really did bite your head off sometimes.” Her arms crossed, and Ralsei just accepted that he would be out of the loop on some things he’d rather not hear about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax, it’s just a joke. Do you wanna ask one, Ralsei? Make it a juicy one.” He smiled down at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, this isn’t an exercise to get dirt on each other, it is supposed to help us become better friends.” Ralsei put his hands on his hips. “But, that being said...Susie, can I see your tail? I think it sounds cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!! Stop asking about it!” Kris laughed and held his hand out to Ralsei for a high five. He just sort of stared at it for a few seconds, and Kris pulled it back. “God, what’s the big deal? It’s just a piece of skin and some bones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Susie.” Ralsei bowed his head and heard the sound of crinkling, making his ear twitch. He looked over to the source of the noise and saw Kris digging around in his wallet. The money he was taking out looked very odd to Ralsei, and different from the sort he had used earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I give you…” Kris counted the money in his hand. “11 dollars, will you show us?” He held up the small wad of money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you wanna see it so bad?” Kris shrugged, and the money was swiped out of his hand. “Alright, fine. But if I see your phone in your hand I’m smashing it.” She turned around and lifted the back of her shirt, making Ralsei feel incredibly flustered. She inched her pants down a little to show it was tucked into the waistband, reaching around to pull it free. “There, happy? Freak.” It was very short, looking more like the tail of a small dog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s face scrunched up when she made it move around, putting his hand in front of his face. “Put it away, I changed my mind. Please. It’s so weird.” He waved both his hands, shutting his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the cash, asshole.” She turned back around and pulled her pants back up, tucking her tail back down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you wearing boxers?” Kris put his hands back down and stopped being dramatic, giving her his trademark shithead smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut the fuck up, Kris. Easiest 11 dollars of my life.” She attempted to take it in stride, trying to hide how self conscious she was about her defective tail. Her eyes moved to Ralsei for reassurance that it wasn’t actually weird and gross, but his mind was somewhere else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, guys? How come the money you have looks so different from mine?” He looked through the phony bills in his wallet. Kris and Susie both exchanged looks of being busted, and Susie quickly took the helm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, uh...we didn’t really wanna tell you, because we didn’t wanna scare you.” She shrugged. “But we totally just gave that restaurant fake money.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s eyes widened. “We stole?! Why did you not tell me then?” He actually looked mad at them, and Susie didn’t know what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was kinda already too late by then, we already ate and neither of us had our wallets on us, so…” Susie shrunk back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you just lied to me and let me be responsible for a crime?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeeaah, basically. But it was only like 20 dollars, it’s not a big deal.” Kris trying to justify it only made Ralsei look more upset.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s absolutely a big deal! I’ve been here for one day, and I’ve already committed a crime...if you told me, I wouldn’t have just walked out like I did!” Ralsei crossed his arms like a disappointed parent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was kinda the point. What were we supposed to do? Work it off?” Kris fought back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a baby, Kris! You can tell me when I mess up, or get something wrong. Now we can’t ever go back there, and I thought it was a really nice place. I want to feel welcomed here. I’m tired of always having to fight everyone for everything no matter where I go!” His voice was getting loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys, come on. Kris, quit egging him on, and Ralsei...I don’t know. What do you want to do to fix it?” Susie felt small in front of the two fighting. “We’ll go back tomorrow and give them the money for real, alright?” She cautiously rubbed his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. I’m going to the bathroom.” Kris rolled his eyes and stormed out of the room, leaving the two monsters on their own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I’m sorry.” Susie frowned at the floor. “I just wanna keep you safe, man. I know I’m stupid, but I worry a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked less mad now that Kris was gone, looking at Susie almost as if he didn’t know why she was sorry. “You aren’t stupid, Susie. But I don’t need to be protected, I’m perfectly fine on my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if you aren’t one time? After what happened with Kris’s soul, who knows what could happen. I’d have no way to know if you were in danger, and I just feel so useless.” She turned around so she didn’t have to talk to a face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, that’s not going to happen. Even if things did get bad, I know I’ll make it out. The Knight protects all of us, okay?” He patted her back, as if it was supposed to comfort her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to talk to you about that, too. I really don’t wanna sound like a jerk or whatever, but...do you actually believe in all that stuff?” She felt the rubbing on her back stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do. I can feel it deep in my soul, and where else would I get my healing magic from? Though it does feel weaker in this world…” He opened and closed his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei, I’m just gonna give it to you straight. The Angel, the Knight, all that prophecy stuff. None of it is real. I understand you’re from a uh...less present-y world, but all that stuff is pretty easily disproved with technology and all that. The people who do believe it mostly just use it as like a rule book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about the prophecy? We did it ourselves…” He felt like his whole world was coming down around him, like everything he ever knew was just a lie. His whole life is just based around a story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, did we? None of the stuff in the legend actually really happened. We didn’t even get rid of the fountain, it’s still there. But you know what? That’s okay, man. I like how things are, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei didn’t say anything. His face didn’t show anything but disappointment. “What is there to life, then? What do you hope for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, that’s a heavy question. But there’s more in life than just hoping things do or don’t happen. You gotta live in the moment, Rals. It’s gonna be alright, cus we’re still a team. We always will be, even though Kris can be a dick sometimes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s eyes met with Susie’s as she turned to face him, taken aback slightly at how optimistic and hopeful she was being. But despite that, it didn’t make him feel much better at all. He never felt more alone in his entire life, and he felt his faith so easily crumble inside him. There was no hope in his mind, and there must have not been any in his face, because Susie caught on fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei, hey. Are you good?” She put her hand on his chin. “I’m sorry I gotta be the one to tell you all this stuff, but you said you could handle people not lying to you, right?” Ralsei just nodded. “Alright, good. Now you better start smiling soon or I will freak out.” She smiled jokingly at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to reciprocate. “Man. Alright, come here.” Susie sighed and leaned down for a hug, but Ralsei was still zoned out. Something about finding out that nobody truly believed in the Angel anymore filled him with a strange emptiness. A hunger almost, yearning for when the world was full of wonder and magic. But now it felt like a world of bleak nothingness, and also magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...” Susie’s lips began to open to speak, but she looked around and rested her chin over his shoulder even if the position to do so was a bit uncomfortable. “Is it too soon? I feel like it would be.” She thought to herself, fears of being too open or vulnerable raging through her brain. “Fuck it, the guy probably needs to hear it from someone.” Susie cleared her throat. “Hey, uh...Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He weakly put his arms over her back, hanging loosely. He felt so unbelievably tired. “Hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie cleared her throat again, swallowing and opening her mouth. “I love you.” She practically mumbled, trying to say it quietly and fast enough so that nobody but Ralsei had a chance to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do?” Ralsei felt her head nestle in against his neck, but he worried that it couldn’t have been good for her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Course I do, man. Why wouldn’t I?” She rubbed the back of his shirt like sandpaper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know...forget I asked. I love you too, Susie.” It wasn’t much, but it was something. He felt warmth spread through his body like he had an IV in his arm, and thought that things just might turn out alright. “Oh, Susie? I forgot to tell you earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me what? When?” She stood up straight, but took him up with her. She lifted him up by his waist like he was a hamper of laundry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your tail is really cute.” He smiled and rested his head on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie felt heat spread through her chest, not wanting to admit that she really enjoyed him saying that. She wanted to remind him that he could drop her, but that felt like the wrong answer. Kris wasn’t around, so maybe she could just...be nice? “Thanks, you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>D E E P E S T  L O R E</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Deep Fried Frenz</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I’m not really sure I understand this story, Kris.” Ralsei stared at the tv with confusion as Susie and Kris laughed loudly, his hyena cackle competing with Susie’s wheezy cough for the top spot on the horrible laugh tier list. On the tv was a talk show with three humans on screen: one sitting at a desk looking disheveled and sweaty, one sitting on a couch that looked to be causing them great discomfort, and a stoic looking bald man standing beside it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some shows don’t really have a story, Rals. These kinds of shows they just interview famous people who uh, interview other famous people...sometimes. But it’s just for laughs.” They had moved downstairs since Toriel went off to bed, and were sitting on the couch together aside from Ralsei. He was sat down on Susie’s lap, firmly locked in a hug from the dragon with the top of his head functioning as a pillow for her head. It was comfortable, but everytime she laughed it felt like he was trying to stay on a bucking horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see. But, I’m not sure I get this kind of humor. Am I missing something?” Ralsei tried not to move his head around too much, having already poked her with his horns a few times. “Are all these people alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s all a show, dude. That guy got shot like 20 times a minute ago and he’s there fine.” Susie pointed at the screen. “Maybe we should pick a more beginner level tv show for him.” She turned to Kris, trying to talk over the sound of screaming sound effects and brass band music.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, really? I guess we can after this episode. This show is kinda loud for us to be watching it when we’re not supposed to, anyway.” Kris turned the volume down a notch, and laid onto his side. If he tucked his legs in, he could lay down all the way without intruding on the other two’s space. “This show always tires me out, it’s too much going on too fast.” He yawned. “I think I’m going to bed after this. You guys can stay down here if you want, but try to be quiet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would be weird to just wander around your house by ourselves. I’m bout ready to hit it, too. Ralsei?” Susie picked her head up off Ralsei’s and scratched her chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could use some quiet time, yes.” He nodded and laid back against her chest. “I can take the floor, I don’t mind.” He felt himself get squished against Susie by two large purple arms once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, WE got the floor.” Her teeth were jagged silhouettes in the dark room, but they formed a happy smile together. “I don’t wanna hear a damn word outta your mouth, Kris.” Her lips twisted to make her teeth menace in a frown directed towards the scrawny human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t even say anything, but…” He looked at Ralsei. “Actually, I probably shouldn’t say that. I’m sure you already have plenty of protection with Susie, anyway.” He snickered. The fire in Susie’s eyes grew so intense he could warm up next to it, but Ralsei’s only softened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate you trying to make me feel better about things, Kris. If I’m being honest, this has been a bit of a rough night for me. But I know that as long as I have you guys, things will be okay…” It was much too heartfelt a sentiment to come in response to a sex joke, but there was a faltering uncertainty to his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah. S-Same here.” Kris’s smugness dissolved away as he turned off the tv suddenly, leaving them in total darkness. “I’m going to bed.” The sound of him getting up was heard, followed by the sound of ascending thumps by the staircase.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie jumped at the sudden disappearance of light, being rendered stunned until Ralsei shifted atop her. “Come along, Susie. Let’s get to bed.” He got up off her lap and rubbed his back end. “Sitting on your legs is like sitting on two stones. Um, no offense.” He felt a sudden hold on his arm. “S...Susie?” He went on high alert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t see is all, so uh, please don’t let go.” Her voice lowered to a frightened growl, seeing the light coming from the stairs as her sanctuary. But it was suddenly turned out, filling her heart with dread. “Fucking Kris and is electricity conservation.” She thought to herself as she grit her teeth, being led through the darkness slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you afraid of the dark, Susie?” Ralsei’s voice floated through the void to caress her cheek, almost coaxing a genuine response out of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I just can’t see very well. Don’t wanna knock anything over, y’know?” She was thankful that darkness was merciful enough to hide how scared she looked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, alright. Well, just know that I’ve got you, okay?” His hand grabbed hers, and his thumb rubbed the back of her hand gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Susie replied, feeling that a ‘dude’ or a ‘man’ would make it sound less sincere. A step forward is a step forward no matter how small it is, she thought. Once they were up the stairs and back in Kris’s room, the glowing stars on the wall eased the anxiety in her chest caused by the unseen. She would be damned if she was gonna let go of Ralsei’s hand, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris was already laying in bed, fully clothed and on his phone. “Okay, let me change into my pajamas. But, um, based on my current outfit, we will all get to experience it for the first time together.” Ralsei picked up the bag off the floor, breaking off from Susie. “Kris, where is the restroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Oh, it’s the door against the wall right when you go downstairs. You can turn the lights on if you want, but make sure they’re back off when you come back.” Ralsei nodded and exited the room, his thumps down the stairs being the only noise in the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Kris.” Susie sat down onto Asriel’s bed, staring forward into nothing. She didn’t even look to see if he had heard her before she talked more. “You’re pretty cool, you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shifting in his bed indicated that he put his phone down, and was now looking at her. “Uh, okay. What makes you say that?” He smiled nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothin’. Just saying what I think.” She shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are too.” Kris felt his spine shuddering again, filling his body with an icy cold. It was like jolts of electricity bringing a dead body back to life, only to be killed again by the goat that just walked back in. He was wearing plaid green pants, and a plain white t-shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I must admit, wearing a white shirt feels a little odd when it’s the same color as my body. It’s very comfy, though.” He felt his pants and laid down onto the floor, being intercepted by a grinning Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there they go again. Kris didn’t care at first, but that had quickly changed the more open they were about it. The hugging, the disgustingly sappy words and looks they gave each other. It made Kris sick, it made Kris feel nothing but hate. He knew that it wasn’t fair to feel like that, and he wished that he didn’t, but that’s just how things were. Kris rolled onto his side and pretended he couldn’t hear them coo at each other. It was a taunt, he felt; whether they realized it or not, they only served as a reminder. A reminder that he was nobody’s number one, and that he most likely never would be. They probably wished that he wasn’t even there so they could just be even more lovey dovey to each other. Kris felt like a horrible friend, just putting a pillow over his head and wishing he could fall asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so soft, I’m freezing over here.” The sound of blankets shifting filled his ears. “Ah, much better. You’re like a little space heater.” Susie giggled as quietly as she was able to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’re like a big set of hug armor keeping me safe.” Ralsei giggled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goddammit. God fucking dammit. Just feeling his own skin was a cruel joke to Kris. He had no fur, no scales, no horns, only the disgusting pale flesh he was born with. Some nights he wanted to peel it all off like the freak that he was, or blind himself so he never had to look at a mirror ever again. He would die centuries before them, most likely completely alone. Why? Because that’s just how it was, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. He had never even seen another human in person before, as they were a dying breed, but Kris didn’t have to to hate every last one of them. For continuing this joke of a race, and forcing him to be a part of it. When he saw what his soul was doing with Ralsei, it made him realize why he felt so off about him. Kris didn’t want Ralsei like that, not by a long shot, but there was something else he wanted deep down. He’d always fantasized about it for practically as long as he could remember, but he would die before he told anyone about them. Especially not the likes of you, human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is Kris asleep?” He heard Susie ask Ralsei. He couldn’t face them right now, so he pretended that he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so. Kris…?” Ralsei called out to him, but it was nothing but to make sure he wouldn’t bother them, Kris was sure. “I guess he’s asleep. Why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie lowered her voice to a whisper, but Kris could still hear semi-clearly. “I think, before this goes any further, I should tell you something. But you seriously have to promise not to tell anybody.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not, Susie. You can tell me anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but...I don’t know, man. I’m scared you won’t think of me the same way as you do now. You promise you won’t like, think I’m gross or whatever?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, I would never think that about you. I’m sure whatever it is isn’t as big a deal as you think. Now, would you like to tell me what it is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, yeah. So, I only moved here a few years ago, I think 4 or 5? But, before that, I...uh, I’m not actually sure you would understand if I told you.” She put the blanket over her snout to lower the volume of her voice even more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Susie. I’m not one to care about knowing secrets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no. I’m doing this, alright? So, basically...shit. Is it okay if I whisper it to you?” She scooted right up against him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Susie. I won’t tell a soul.” He lifted his ear and draped it over Susie’s head, giving her a little pocket to whisper in. Kris couldn’t hear Susie, but Ralsei had promised to not tell a soul, meaning he was in luck there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whispered something to him, seeming to be filled with pauses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Um, I guess I actually don’t know what that means. Sorry…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whispered to him again, this time being followed by Ralsei making a sound of understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. I think I understand. So I should keep calling you Susie then, correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie nodded, then whispered to him one last time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Susie, don’t say that. You’re the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t just say stuff like that, man.” Susie’s voice was audible again, as well as the groan she made under the blanket from the blindsiding compliment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I’m just telling the truth. Think of it this way, okay? People born into families are stuck with what they get, but people in adoptive families get chosen for who they are. Does that make sense?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so.” Susie poked her head back out from under the blanket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you see where I’m going with that, right?” Ralsei sat up and took off his glasses, placing them on Asriel’s nightstand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I get what you’re saying.” She cleared her throat, and paused for a second. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all, Susie. I’ll buy you the most elegant and beautiful dresses in the world when we get back to the Dark Realm, and my money actually works.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, slow down. That doesn’t mean I’m all about that girly-girl bullshit. How about a sweet jacket instead? Or a motorcycle.” Her rugged wheeze mimicked the frogs outside the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Erm...okay. Whatever you want, I’ll try my best.” He smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, am I not funny? Actually, come to think of it I have never actually heard you laugh before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t? I’m sure you have, I just like to give things the proper seriousness they deserve.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m sure. I have definitely never heard you laugh before. Like, really laugh. You’re lucky Kris is right next to us, otherwise…” There was a moment of silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Otherwise wha- hey!” Ralsei yelped and nearly jumped out of the blanket pile they had, making Kris wonder how much more of this he could take. “Please don’t tickle me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not, I’m not. Like I said, Kris is right there. I wouldn’t wanna wake him up, dude seems like the type who really appreciates his sleeping time.” Ralsei sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish Kris would talk more. I can tell how clammed up he is, and it makes me worried. Does he not trust me, you think? Does he talk to you?” Kris lifted the pillow from his head a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A couple times, but I get what you’re saying. Everything that comes out of that guy’s mouth is a joke or a jab at someone. I should probably take notes and keep my mouth shut sometimes, but it’s a bit much how he does it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Make it stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to tell him how much our friendship means to me, but I can’t help but feel a little intimidated by his, um, humor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Please shut up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, me too. I guess I’m not really one to talk, but...at least I know my limits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys?” Kris finally spoke up, desperate to not have any more fears confirmed tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“K-Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh...how long you been awake, Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think I’m a bad person?” Ralsei and Susie were caught off guard, leaving them with a second of silence to actually collect their thoughts. “Do you think I like this? Are you afraid because I’m a human?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, man. I’m not afraid of you at all.” Susie backpedaled hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I just think of you guys as Lightners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re fucking lying. I heard you guys talking about me. Why does Susie get a free pass for it? Because she’s a monster and I’m not! And I never will be.” Susie was the one to speak up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what you’re so freaked out about? We don’t care what you are, man.” She felt a connection to him, that maybe they were more similar than she originally thought. “Come sit with us, Kris.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m fine.” He laid back in his bed. “I’ll just leave you two be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, we’re sorry if you’ve felt neglected by us today, but we’d really like it if you joined us here. Please?” Ralsei sat up with Susie, leaving a spot open in the middle for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a low sigh, Kris threw the covers off him. “Fine.” He got up and carefully walked to the center of the room, feeling around with his foot so he didn’t step on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There, sit down.” Ralsei stopped him, reaching up and snagging a pillow off of Asriel’s bed so there was enough room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris sat down onto the blanket with a frown plastered on his face. “Am I supposed to sleep down here?” It was wishful thinking at worst.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, come on, it’s a sleepover, man! Get with the spirit.” Susie pushed his shoulders back so he laid on his back. He didn’t fight back, but he still didn’t feel like it was anything but pity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this? What are you trying to accomplish?” Kris said, turtling up behind a lack of emotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because we’re friends, dummy.” Ralsei cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What Susie is trying to say is, we care about you. We’re friends, like she said.” Ralsei’s ear rested against his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? I’m a dickhead, and I don’t deserve any of this.” They shushed him in unison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be like that, man. I just told you how cool you were. I know my stuff when it comes to that kind of thing.” It was hard to frown with Ralsei wriggling up to you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d hang out with you every day if I could, Kris. I just get the impression that you don’t like me as much as I like you, is all.” Ralsei felt two arms go around him, but they were too small to be Susie’s. Shortly after, he felt the arms of proper Susie size wrap around them both. Nobody said anything, and rather than try to struggle to fill the silence with an excuse to why they were doing what they were doing, or a joke to mask it, they just laid there together in the dark. They eventually fell asleep and untangled from each other while they slept, but their hearts never did.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Soul Kitchen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sweetness of that night they shared made the return home all the more bitter. After getting the life scared out of him from the fall in the closet, and getting his robe all dirty from having to traverse the cliffs, Ralsei wasn’t having the best day. Him and Susie had to leave Kris’s home on rather short notice due to his brother’s impending arrival, but there was enough time for Kris to let Ralsei back inside the school so he could return home. Once he finally reached the empty town that was supposedly his home, he only felt even worse. It wasn’t his home, truly. It never was. It wasn’t his castle, or his town, or his fountain. The people who had lived there vanished long ago, and Ralsei was nothing more than a squatter. Upon entrance, he hung his hat by the door and gave a look around. Kris had told him that he wouldn’t be able to hang out that week because he would probably be busy with his family, but at least he had Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat on the living room couch with a sigh, leaning onto the armrest. How had he managed to stay here alone so long? After spending so much time with his friends, being there by himself for more than a few days seemed to be a near herculean task. Nobody to talk to, nothing to do, it was torturous when he thought about it. He shut his eyes and tried to think of nicer things, and how he would be able to go back soon. But it didn’t last, feeling a shiver run up his spine as he remembered he wasn’t exactly alone. He had almost forgotten about the new roommate he had acquired, and decided to go check on them. He rose to his feet like a zombie and made his way to the library, where he had put the jar containing the soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking around, the castle didn’t look as magical or homey as it once did. The doubts that had been cast at him stung at his heart like a swarm of wasps, letting him see his home for what it was: an old, decrepit fortress of moss and dripping stone. It was his first memory, from when he was much younger. Looking up at the massive structure before him with his back to the fountain, how did he find it? How had nobody else? Ralsei supposed that others came before him, but only he was foolish enough to try and call it his home. The door to the library creaked open, the wood starting to smell of wet rot. Thankfully, the soul was right where he left it, and it even seemed to have calmed down a little. While it struggled and bumped around the edges of the glass wildly before, now it just laid on the bottom, not even bothering to hover. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei really hoped souls didn’t have to breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that night, Kris was doing what he usually did on saturday nights, that being absolutely nothing. Asriel had stuck around for a couple hours before he ran off with his old friends to catch up, but Kris didn’t care. He didn’t need him anymore now that he had real friends, and actually preferred having the room to himself. Despite that, he was a little bitter about having to stay home for a guy that had gone out himself. He grumbled and pulled out his phone, running out of ideas for things to do at his computer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” He sent her, staring blankly at the message screen for a minute. No response. He stuck his phone into his pocket and laid onto his bed, pulling his phone back out almost immediately. Kris berated himself for not having a hobby, or something he was actually good at. Rather than surf around on the internet for something to steal his attention from how shitty he felt for a few minutes, Kris dropped his phone onto the mattress beside him and rolled over to face the wall. He was already looking back at his outburst the previous night with embarrassment, but he sort of felt like he didn’t have to. Either way, that moment was in the past now, and he was still alone. As they got older, Asriel would only go out with his friends more and more, and Kris realized how jealous he felt when he realized he was only brought along out of pity, or to be patronized. He suddenly sat up and looked around. There was nobody around, as to be expected. Part of him felt like he was being watched, but the larger part couldn’t bother to care. He thought back to years in the past, being at this point one of the earliest memories he could recall. He fell back onto his bed, and clutched a pillow tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was young and small, small even by Kris’s standards. With a family of boss monsters, it was accentuated even further when he stood next to his brother, or his parents. But in this memory, they were nowhere to be found. School had always been hard, especially first starting out. He never talked to anyone besides Asriel, netting him an absence of friends and an easy target to pick on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris was in the woods, having run off from the school during recess. They had taken his horns, and refused to give them back. Without Asriel around, he was helpless to do anything but run away. He was afraid and in tears, but he wasn’t lost. He was hiding from anyone who might come and look for him because his class had long since gone back inside. It was stupid looking back on it, Kris thought, that anybody thought his fake horns could be real, but at the time he didn’t want anyone to see him without them. He didn’t ever want to come out from where he hid, but it had started to get dark. It was soothing to his younger self, and was enough to coax him out into the open forest. The leaves of the trees around him littered the ground, and he remembered scraping them up into four little piles, then into one big pile. He got distracted from what he was worried about and just kept adding leaves to the pile, putting any sticks he found into his hair. Once he found a pair that were sturdy and dry enough, he held them so they faced up and out towards the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baa.” He bleated out to the forest, like he was talking with the birds chirping all around. It was embarrassing, but it was the first time Kris remembered feeling whole. He was happy for a second, and he had tried to chase that feeling ever since. Imagining what he would look like as a monster in his head and pretending that everybody liked him, even coming close to commissioning an artist online to draw it for him. But that was low, even for Kris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His phone vibrated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris was snapped out of his trance and reached around behind him, eventually feeling his phone and grabbing it. Susie had texted him back, thankfully in time before Kris could relive painful memories that made him feel like garbage for no reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo. Was busy. What’s up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris wasn’t sure how to respond. Nothing was up, and telling her she just wanted to talk to her seemed needy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing really. My brother ditched us so I have nothing to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool. Or I guess not. My grades are in the shitter and my parents aren’t letting me hang out with you or Ralsei until I get less stupid.” Kris’s first instinct was to feel bitterness at her slacking taking away his time with friends, but found himself feeling more bad for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? Last time I checked you weren’t the one pacifying me during class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, isn’t that just what people say when something bad happens to someone else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No clue. Not like my dog died or something. Can you tell Ralsei next time you see him? I can’t exactly tell him myself. They got people watching the halls cus I’d skip lunch to go see him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t, my mom isn’t letting me go anywhere since my brother is here, and we’re supposed to be spending family time together. I’m sure Ralsei will be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you’re right, man. I just feel kinda like a dick for not telling him, but how could I? Maybe you could get him a wifi router or something. And a phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t, I spent all my money on seeing some girl’s tail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d tell you to shut the hell up, but I was able to pay back the money we owed to the restaurant with that 11 dollars. Does that make me a hooker?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued to talk to each other back and forth about mostly inconsequential things for the rest of the night, until they both fell asleep with their faces tired from laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What time was it? What day was it? Ralsei didn’t know anymore. With no sun and no real sense of time from his surroundings, time didn’t feel like it moved at all. It had been nearly a week since he journeyed to the Realm of Light, and he was beginning to think he should go back there himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t forget about me, did they?” Ralsei asked himself, pacing around the library. He had dozens of books opened on the table, having scoured the entire collection for anything that could be useful in relation to human souls. Not just for Kris, but for the ones sacrificed to the Angel. It haunted the back of his mind ever since that night, and was slowly becoming all that he could think about. He’d be out digging by the fountain if he didn’t feel so tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if something happened to them? What if they need me?!” He pulled on his hair. “But if I went unannounced, I might get them in trouble. Or maybe…maybe they don’t want me to be there?” The uncertainty cut him all over, driving him mad. The soul wasn’t much for conversation, and he just wanted to talk to someone he knew. Anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait...Jevil will know, and maybe it will give me a riddle to solve!” He bolted out the door, desperate just to get out of that room for a little while. He didn’t even think about it, just letting his legs carry him there on his own. Ralsei reached the outside, and panted in the stale air. He hadn’t dared to touch the dummy with Jevil’s tail stuck on since it fell over on its own, but he cautiously reached out and tapped the head to check for signs of life. The cloth felt soft to his touch, but there wasn’t any response. Suddenly, he heard a voice beside him. It was soft, but otherworldly in a way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah. It is so nice for us to finally meet. How was your trip?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei jerked his head in the direction the voice was coming from, landing on the dummy he had made of himself. “H...Hello?” His throat was dry from disuse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am right here, my son. I always have been. Forgive me for any rudeness, I am still a bit groggy.” The voice seemed to transfix his eyes to the dummy. “This is actually quite funny! In my sleepiness, I seemed to have gotten a bit confused. And now I appear to be stuck in this dummy. Quite a pickle indeed!” The voice laughed, but the laughter sounded all around Ralsei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you? What’s going on? Jevil?” Ralsei’s heart began to thump quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do not worry, er...what was your name again? Immanuel? It’s been a while, hasn’t it.” The voice oozed sarcasm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Ralsei. I don’t believe we’ve met.” Ralsei tried to calm himself, not wanting to seem rude to his guest. “Um, how did you get stuck inside a dummy? Do you need help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice cackled. “Oh, I’ve always been in here! I’ve just been asleep. But the sun came up, and now I am awake! Oh how I missed it’s warmth…” The voice sighed in an exaggerated fashion. “And I’m glad you asked. You want me to be free, don’t you? I could use your help, as I am expecting company soon, and I have to look my best for when he gets here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, I’d be happy to help you anyway I can.” Ralsei smiled. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I caught your name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name…? You can call me Angie. Now, let’s get to business. We don’t have much time, but I just need you to do a few things. Or, I suppose one thing. All you have to do is cut open this dummy. Don’t worry, I can fix it up for you later.” The voice giggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I can fix it myself, don’t worry! Let’s just get you out of there. I can grab a knife from the kitchen, and you’ll be ready for your friend in no time.” Ralsei put his hands together, feeling an odd sense of comfort and familiarity with whoever was stuck inside the dummy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friend? I guess you could put it that way. I’d say our relationship is more akin to...business partners. Also, that won’t do. You’ll need something a little more special to get me out. This is gonna sound a little odd, but you have to trust me. You trust me, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei didn’t know this person, but he felt like he had known them his entire life. “I...I guess I don’t have a reason not to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great! I’ll just need you to get something from the library. Have you ever whittled anything before?” The voice didn’t seem to decrease in volume as Ralsei got farther away from it, but he paid it no mind as he followed their instructions. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do, and he always liked to help those in need.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not so sure about this, Angie. This belongs to a very good friend of mine, and this seems like it would hurt him…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Nonsense, if anything it will feel nice! Like a serpent shedding its skin, replacing it with a new one!” The voice’s laughs grew more and more excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise? I don’t see how this wouldn’t hurt…” Ralsei’s palms began to sweat, clutching a file tightly in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Ralsei. We’re friends, I wouldn’t do that to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was silence, then the sound of scraping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris suddenly woke up from his slumber. It was pitch black in his room, but something had woken him up. His chest hurt. There was horrible, horrible noise. His chest hurt worse. Kris felt his heart pound in the center of the pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to do it harder.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Angie, I-I’m really not sure about this. It’s fighting against me a lot…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pain was agonizing, making Kris grind his teeth and clutch at his chest. He tried to cry for help, but he couldn’t even talk. He tried to get up out of bed, but he couldn’t move his body. His body began to convulse in horrible pain, the commotion waking up Asriel in the bed opposite to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…? What are you doing?” He grumbled awake, sitting up. “Oh my god. Kris?!” He jumped to his feet, but Kris’s vision was beginning to fade in and out. He was drenched in sweat, and his face was leaking just about every fluid it could. The next thing he knew he was being carried, but it only got worse and worse. He jerked around and fought, making whoever was holding him hold on tighter. He felt his foot kick something, and he was suddenly in the car. People were calling for him, but they sounded so far away. Kris felt like he was going to die, and actively dying. He only stopped when he had blacked out from the sheer amount of pain he was experiencing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See? It stopped moving. I told you it would like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh. I guess you were right after all. Maybe it just tickled him a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I’m right, Ralsei. I’d never lie to you.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Brain Damage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kris awoke with a start, the sharpness of his own breath scaring the living hell out of him. He would have thought it was all a bad dream if he were still in his bed, but the star-seahorse patterned walls and sterile white sheets proved otherwise. He was in a hospital bed. The pain was gone, but he still felt considerably shaken up. He trembled like he had just stuck a fork in an electrical outlet, and his clothes were drenched in sweat. The inside of his mouth felt like it had just gotten a fresh coat of vomit painted on, and his head throbbed with pain. His only solace was that nobody was around for his moment of precious respite, despite feeling absolutely disgusting. He peeled his shirt off of him and looked down the collar to see what may have caused whatever the hell happened last night, but there was no sign of injury whatsoever. Had all his years of lazing around caught up with him earlier than he thought and somehow given him a heart attack? Nah, he was definitely probably too young for that. Speculation on what could have happened soon grew boring after he ran out of ideas, and reached for the phone in his pocket. Kris’s hand patted the side of his pants, and felt a heartstopping emptiness within his pockets. He checked the other one, and still came up with nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, it must be on my bed at home.” He scratched his head, feeling the sweat in his hair. “At least I’ll hopefully miss school for this. If mom doesn’t think I’m faking and yell at me for causing a scene, at least.” His body felt heavy and weak, so he decided to just try and go back to sleep. There weren’t any windows in his room, but it just felt like it was early in the morning. Kris let out a big yawn and coughed into his hand, wracking his body with pain to the point of doubling over. The pain was like an open wound, and every straining movement he made was like jabbing it. But as long as he took it easy, things were alright. “Fuck...hopefully I can see Ralsei soon so he can heal whatever this shit is...hopefully.” Kris realized it had been a little while since they had spoken, only having enough time in his schedule for one goat at a time. He just wished that he got to pick which one was in it, because at the moment he was stuck with his 2nd choice. Kris just shut his eyes and tried not to think about how dramatic and embarrassing his family would be whenever they showed up. It was nice they cared and all, but it’s hard to feel it when they only seem to when they had to; when it made them look good. He felt his exhausted mind drift off to sleep, fantasizing about two visitors he knew he wouldn’t get.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei blinked his eyes open wide, brushing the red powder that settled on his robe down onto the floor. His taskmaster hadn’t made him stay up all night, he had done it of his own volition. He wouldn’t have been able to sleep anyway, or rest at all knowing that there was a friend in need of his help. “Okay, I think it’s done! It does look a lot cleaner now, I will admit.” Ralsei wiped his brow and laid the mangled soul onto the kitchen counter. He had spent all night whittling away at it, then sharpening it to a point. The soul had lost nearly half of its mass, the two round edges slanting down at a much steeper angle to create a blade. But Ralsei didn’t see it as anything more than a haircut, or trimming your fingernails.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup! The soul has been returned to its most natural state.” Angie had spent the night testing the waters with Ralsei, and came to the conclusion that lying to his face wouldn’t cause any suspicion from him. “Now, there is only one more thing you have to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei rubbed his eyes and yawned, wiping his hands off on his robe. “Of course. What is it?” There was something in his voice, and it threw Angie off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um...you just have to attach it to something so you can hold it.” The happy-go-lucky attitude that Ralsei had before had vanished, and it filled Angie with anxiety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Okay.” Ralsei began to dig around the drawers, and noticed that his friend’s voice had been quieter than usual. “Is something wrong, Angie?” He asked nonchalantly as he tinkered with a kitchen knife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei smiled and began to laugh to himself. “You do realize you don’t have to trick me to get me to help you, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Angie had a heart of her own, it most likely would have stopped. “Tricking you…? Whatever do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, I’ve heard the story before. This is the same thing that happened with the Lightner and the Angel, note for note. I’m not an idiot, so if you are lying to me, please just tell me. I won’t be mad at you, and if you still need help I will happily provide.” He dismantled the kitchen knife with a stoic look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angie didn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…? Are you still there? How exactly are you talking to me, by the way? Do you have some sort of invisibility enchantment on your clothes?” He set the knife down and looked through the many drawers of junk for an adhesive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you know I am lying to you, why are you still going?” Angie finally spoke up once again, their sentence being dragged out carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei sighed and stopped what he was doing. “It’s the only thing that gives my life meaning, Angie. I live to serve as a Darkner, but beyond that I feel my life has lost meaning. The people I love and care about dearly have shown me what it’s like to not be alone, but the feeling doesn’t last. My days have once again become waiting for them to return day in and day out, and that is all there is for me to do. I’ve decided that I don’t want my life to become the same way it was before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angie felt something that they hadn’t in memory felt before. It was a mixed feeling, the guilt of being scolded clashing with the soft sense of joy that came from someone genuinely wanting to help, even if it was out of desperation and a lie. “Well, you’re half right. I really do need you to do this, and...nevermind. Just keep going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei began to giggle once again, the giddiness in his voice making his tail appear to be motorized. “Is this what I think it is, Angie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, Ralsei? Perhaps you should get some sleep. I will be alright.” They tried to calm him down before he started doing things that would mess up their plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you the Angel?” If someone had told Ralsei he was this excited to meet the Angel two weeks ago, he probably would have asked them how they got into his house, and then told them politely to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angie was quiet for a moment, the remorse of her answer crushing down the confusion of it with its weight. “No, I am sorry to disappoint you. But I thought you wished to destroy the Angel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei shook his head. “Er, well, not necessarily destroy them, but stop them at the very least. I just thought…” He felt like his heart had been run through with a sword. “I just want it to be real, Angie. I really, really do. I want to believe that the legends and stories are all true, but...but they just aren’t are they?” He slumped down onto the floor, sniffling. “I’m just as insignificant as a tiny bug, in a world that’s nothing but lies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The despair in his voice moved Angie, almost pushing them to the breaking point. “Ralsei…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, how did you know that? I never mentioned my beliefs to you.” He wiped his nose and peeked up from his knees, where his face had been residing. “Have you been watching me?” Discomfort boiled up inside him to his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei, listen to me. The Angel and the Knight are both real, I know it to be true. And though your friends have abandoned you, I hope you can still find hope in this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My friends haven’t abandoned me! They’re just probably busy is all…” Ralsei cut them off with a whimper. “They’re gonna come back soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to yourself, Ralsei! I thought you didn’t want this anymore! You want to be important, and you want the legends to be real, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei nodded his head shyly. “Yes, I do. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, then let me help you. Take the knife and go outside. We’re gonna make them real ourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood up and wiped his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. Let me just finish it real quick, and then we can go.” He taped the soul onto the kitchen knife handle, putting on enough so that it was crude but not going anywhere anytime soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They don’t want you to succeed, Ralsei. We’re gonna prove them all wrong. But hey, I know something that will cheer you up. I’ll tell you when we get outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s morning so far had been conflicted, to say the least. She was gearing up for a pretty boring day when she saw Kris wasn’t in class, and gave up hope for him to show up after first period. But Ms. Toriel had pulled her out of class because apparently something had happened to him, and she wanted her to go see him. She had gotten permission from her parents, so she figured why not. Now she was walking into the hospital, and starting to feel a little worried about the guy. She knew Kris was pretty tough, so she didn’t pay much mind to whatever could have happened, but when the people who were supposed to know didn’t, she felt less happy about her friend being in the hospital. When she got to his room she saw there was no machinery hooked up to him, or even any blood. Asriel was sitting in the room with Kris, and he looked up at the door when she and Toriel entered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is he?” Toriel asked immediately, leaving Susie’s side to go to Kris. His eyes were still shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still asleep, so it’s kinda hard to tell. Dad just left a minute ago, but the doctors told him they can’t figure out what’s wrong with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie was starting to feel like a real dick for thinking this was worth missing school. Asriel turned his head back over to the door where she stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, you’re Kris’s friend, right?” Asriel got up from his seat, revealing himself to be much taller than she thought he was. He was even taller than Toriel, who herself had Susie beat by a decent amount in terms of height.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh...yeah. Hey.” She put her hands in her pockets, realizing she was in a room containing a teacher and her son who she had never met. It wasn’t exactly who she would first pick to hang out with. “Wake up already, Kris…” She looked over to his bed and thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if on cue Kris jerked up in his bed with a cough, startling Susie’s hands out of her pockets. “Kris? How are you feeling?” Toriel put a hand to his forehead, but he pushed it away and grit his teeth from the cough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh...bad.” He breathed heavily like he had just ran, and sat up when he saw Susie. He boarded up his face so that his excitement to see her wouldn’t be evident to them. “When’d you get here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie rubbed the back of her head and laughed nervously. “Uh...I just got here. Your mom took me out of school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toriel patted Asriel’s arm and whispered something to him, giving her a nod and walking towards the door. “We’re going to go outside for some fresh air. Do not hesitate to come get us if you need anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” Susie stepped aside so they could leave, leaving just the two of them. “So, uh...what the hell happened to you? You’re not on life support, so that’s good.” She looked back towards the door, then leaned in to whisper. “Are you faking to get out of school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris leaned his head back and frowned. “No, I’m not fucking faking. I feel like absolute dogshit. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and felt like my heart was getting ripped out.” He snapped at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeez, man. I’m sorry.” She recoiled back, thinking she felt a little bit of his drool hit her face from him suddenly lashing out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, this just really sucks. It hurts to do anything, and it hurts to do nothing.” He laid his arms out in front of him. “Please don’t try to make me laugh, either. It’ll probably just hurt me like coughing does. Or sneezing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, dude. That really does sound like it sucks.” She gently laid her hand on his shoulder. “Hey. Uh, when this is all over, maybe we could hang out sometime. Just us two.” She rubbed his shoulder ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do that, Susie. I don’t mind if Ralsei comes along, I hope you know that.” He looked down at her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah, I guess so. Heh.” She pulled her hand off him, shrugging. “I just don’t want you to feel like you’re not part of the group. We don’t really have enough people in our group for that kinda stuff. Otherwise we’re just two weirdos standing next to each other.” She smiled. “But...I do miss him. Everytime I look at a clump of dust or see pink I think of his dorky ass.” She quickly tacked on a joke, forcing a laugh to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I miss him too. The group dynamic is off without him, and the edgy to baby ratio goes all out of whack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not a baby, I’m convinced that guy isn’t scared of anything. He’s just nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t say he was a baby, I’m saying he is baby.” Kris held up a finger. “There is a difference.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, what the hell are you talking about?” She couldn’t tell if she was supposed to be amused or offended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eh, nevermind. Are you gonna go see him today?” He put his hands back down. “If you do, can you tell him I said hi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie sighed out her nose. “I wish. It’s been almost a week since I saw him, and I’m startin’ to get antsy. I’ll tell Lancer to check up on him from time to time next time I see him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, you’re out of school. What’s stopping you from going to see him now? Your parents think you’re here, and the school does too.” Kris smirked, and it quickly spread to Susie. “I’ll just say I wanna sleep so you don’t look like an asshole for leaving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie noogie’d his head with a toothy grin. “Damn, Kris. Why can’t you think a’ shit like that in class? How’s our group project coming along?” She laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m not the one who’s gonna be in class to take the heat for it if that’s what you mean. We still have a week to do it, anyway. Did you ever figure out what we were supposed to do?” Kris cackled, then coughed into his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, alright, calm down.” She took her hands off him and held them up in defense. “And uh, no. I kinda forgot about the whole thing until just now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, too. But who really cares about that? Maybe we can convince everyone else to not do it in protest.” Kris pounded his chest once recovered from the cough. “Just go see Ralsei. Don’t worry about me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure, man? I really don’t mind sticking around.” She rubbed her upper arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I’m really fucking tired, anyway. My family is starting to piss me off, too.” He looked at the window in the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, alright. I’ll tell them you’re asleep and then head out, alright?” She stood up and stretched. “And you better get better soon, or I’ll come here and beat you up.” She walked towards the door, smiling at him. “I’ll see you later, Kris.” She lifted her arm to wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>
  <span>“I knew you could do it, Ralsei. It wasn’t so hard, was it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I...I don’t know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh, it’s okay. You’re a healer, aren’t you? Instead of healing wounds, think of it like you’re healing their hearts of any anguish and suffering they feel. You’re a real hero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...are you sure we have to do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm. It’s the only way. But, you don’t mind if I give you a little spoiler, do you? Stop patting the dummy and listen to me. Do you remember that business partner I told you about before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I do. What about him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s been with us the whole time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean by that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop looking around and listen to me. The Knight will be upon the land soon, but it’s up to you to bring him forth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me? Gosh, I hope I can do a good job for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t like that, Ralsei. You’re the only one who can do it. The truth is, the Angel, the Lightner, the Knight, they’re you. They’ve always been you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s true, Ralsei. I’ve laid dormant in you for years, and it took you realizing that all that Lightner friend-hero nonsense was all just a cheap substitute to awaken me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Angie, what are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just have to let it out, Ralsei. I know it’s inside you. I can feel it. Knights aren’t born, they’re made. Now, let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good boy. Don’t worry, it’ll get easier as we go.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Loyalty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sound of boots on stone echoed throughout the town like a drip in a cave. Susie had looked all over the town for her caprine companion with no luck, and was beginning to debate going inside to look. Her stomach churned with concern, and Ralsei’s disappearance wasn’t soothing it one bit. She called out for him again and again, making a lap all the way around to the drawbridge. The door in it had been left there, making it wonder if it was always there, but made unseen. She knew that knocking wouldn’t do any good due to the distance from that door to the actual castle, and turned the knob open. Still nothing but silence and the echo of her own voice. Once again she reached a door. She knocked on it a few times, and waited for about a minute. She knocked harder; still nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He could just be at Lancer’s, come on.” She tried to reassure herself, but eyed the knob again with concern and curiosity. “Worst case scenario, I just say I was worried about him…” She held the knob in her hand, and slowly turned it open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grass beneath Ralsei muffled his steps, supporting him as he walked like the fields were made of pillows. There was nobody around as far as he could see, most likely caused by the disbanding of Lightner search parties patrolling the area. They had barely walked anywhere, but Ralsei already felt exhausted, hungry, and antsy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-Maybe we should go back, it’s not safe to leave the castle alone...also, what if Kris and Susie come back?” He mumbled to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quit being such a coward, Ralsei. We waited for them, for their story, and it was all a big mess. When are you gonna stop relying on other people and finish your own stories?” The voice replied, scolding him. “We’re doing this for us, Ralsei. Our story is going to come true. It has to be true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but…” Ralsei sat down under a tree. “I miss Susie. I miss Kris, too. Whenever I’m with them, I feel like I’m content with how things are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s your problem, Ralsei. They’re stopping you from moving forward. They’re just dragging you down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not true. It’s what I’ve waited for for so long. We’re friends, and friends are good.” Ralsei wasn’t fully sold on himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They don’t want us to succeed, Ralsei. They are our enemy. It’s a trick, don’t you see? Or are you too naive and dumb? They don’t actually like you, they never did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But...she told me she loves me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The king told you he would yield when you healed him and almost got everyone killed, didn’t he?” Ralsei went quiet, looking at the ground. “Exactly. Now get up, and stop being so pathetic!” He raised his own fist and struck himself on the cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok-kay, I’m going…” Ralsei whimpered and rose to his feet, clutching his wobbly dagger in his other hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie wandered around the first floor of the castle aimlessly, trying to keep track of what rooms she had been in but getting lost in the winding and connecting hallways. “Ralsei? Are you here? Please come out if you can hear me.” She repeated as she tried to navigate the dim, labyrinthian castle halls. Eventually, she came across a door without a doorknob attached to it. It had been removed, leaving only a hole where it once was. Her curiosity got the better of her and she tried to push it open, but the door could barely budge before something stopped it. She pushed harder, and heard something being moved on the other side as the door opened little by little. With a big push, the door swung open and had knocked over whatever was being used to block it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The barricade looked to be a tipped over wooden bookshelf, going up to about her hip. Books littered across the floor, making Susie cringe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, I better clean this up before he sees.” She stepped over the fallen bookshelf and began to stack the books in her arms, hoping Ralsei didn’t have them sorted. She lifted the bookcase back up, and started to peruse the books so she could sort them alphabetically. “Let’s see, uh…’The Prince’s Friends’, and…’Do Not Read, Read Green Books Instead’? What kind a books are these...?” Upon closer inspection, the book covers were either green or brown. “Huh, that makes it easier.” She put them into two piles. All of the green books had somewhat varied titles, but all seemed to involve figures of grand importance, Angels and Knights and Princes, or a character doing some sort of fun, albeit mundane activity. They were all written in the same handwriting, but had different names written on the front.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Legend of the Fountain, Legend of the Angel and the Lightner, Legend of the Prince and the Knight...so this is where Ralsei gets all this crap. Who even wrote these?” She looked at the names on the front, but didn’t recognize any of them. They didn’t even look like real names. “Wait, these guys all write the same way…” She had sworn she recognized the handwriting, but couldn’t remember from where. “Ah, whatever. I’m getting distracted. Just get the stupid books on the shelves and go to Lancer’s.” She narrated to herself and put the green books up on the shelf. She looked back over at the brown books, and sighed with relief that there weren’t as many. Like the green ones, they were all written in the same handwriting but under different names. Alongside the not so aptly titled book she saw before were books titled “Fairy Tales”, “The Foolish Farm Boy”, and one with its cover scribbled all over. Susie couldn’t tell if there were originally words on the cover or not, a large majority of it being obscured by a thick black cloud of ink scribbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have to ask Ralsei where he got these.” Out of morbid curiosity, she began to look through them. She started with the one closest to her, the book just labelled “Fairy Tales”. When she began to read it, she grew confused. Inside the book was just a rather detailed record about the life of some kid. Their name had been scribbled out all over the book, along with seemingly random words. About halfway through the rest of the pages were torn out, but she couldn’t seem to understand it anyway. She flipped through the whole book to confirm that the entire story was written in that unreadable garbage, so she just put it down beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freaky. Whoever lived here before Ralsei must have been a weirdo.” She laughed to herself and looked through the next book, The Foolish Farm Boy. Thankfully none of the words were scribbled out, and it was the first book Susie had genuinely enjoyed in quite a long time. The story was an almost identical version of the previous book, a record about a young boy’s life, but Susie’s enjoyment came from the narrator. At seemingly any chance possible, the narrator would berate the boy and make fun of him for his shortcomings. But the more it went on, the more mean spirited it grew. Susie was taken aback to see swears in any books Ralsei owned, and the book went on to torment the main character for being harassed and beaten by basically everyone around him. It began to make Susie feel uncomfortable, and she found herself growing worried for the protagonist as things became worse and worse for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s enough of that.” She shut the book and put it in her pile, shaking her head around. “As if reading wasn’t bad enough, this place is starting to creep me out.” The room was incredibly dusty, and radiated an aura that told Susie she was not supposed to be in there. Her hand reached over to the scribbled out book, and she opened it to the first page. There was no story, from what she could tell, but it made her blood chill. Inside were pages and pages of some of the nastiest, meanest, and most personal sounding insults she had ever read, all directed towards the reader. It wished horrible things upon whoever was reading the book, and even threatened to do things ranging from violence to...things that made her very uncomfortable. But when she reached the bottom of the page, it cut off mid sentence. On the next page was just the same apology written over and over again, followed by more insults. The further she flipped, the less structured and cohesive the sentences became, eventually devolving into swear words and name calling with no punctuation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ, dude. Why does Ralsei have these?” She made a face of disgust and shut the book, wondering if she should just take them with her and throw them away. Susie probably would have, but she really didn’t want to touch any of those books. Something about them filled her with dread, and she had to leave. Now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck it, they’re just books.” She jumped to her feet and quickly tried to shove the bookcase to the side so she could get to the door, but scraped up the floor in the process. She practically ran out of the room, and didn’t stop until she thought she was far enough away. She still had no idea where she was, though, and began to panic. Her fear of the dark was only amplified by the silence and connecting hallways, not knowing what could be around any of the corners. Suddenly, the front door opened. It sounded closer than she thought she was to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t do it, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything you want, just please don’t hurt them.” It was Ralsei’s voice, making her hold her breath. She was relieved that he was there, but she was also breaking and entering into his house. It sounded like he was in the middle of a conversation with someone, but Susie only heard one voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quit being a baby and get out there! Now!” Angie commanded him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t want to go out by myself, I’m scared!” Ralsei was blubbering to himself, putting Susie even more on edge. She tried to sneakily walk towards his voice, but her weight made the floorboard beneath her creak. Ralsei went silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I heard a noise. Someone’s inside.” Ralsei whispered, his hands beginning to shake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They know about our plan, and they don’t like it. They’re gonna kill you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei was hyperventilating as Susie was frozen in her spot. The door was thrown open, and Ralsei ran out of the castle as fast as he could. Susie tried to run after him, finally finding her way back to the front door using the sound, but Ralsei was already gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck.” Susie cursed herself for scaring the living shit out of him, and didn’t waste any time in getting out of there. She wondered how Ralsei could live there for as long as he had, and made it a point to ask him more about it later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei ran at full sprint until he felt like his legs were going to give out beneath him, taking cover behind a tree so he could try and catch his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t safe there anymore, Ralsei. We can’t go back, or they’ll kill you.” Angie’s words didn’t assist him much in the way of calming him down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do we do, Angie? What if...what if Susie and Kris try to go there, and they get hurt?” Ralsei was panting, leaning over his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei, you need to listen to me. You need to forget them, they probably ordered the hit out on you. They are Lightners, and they are scared of what you’ll do once our plan works. You’ve only known them for how long? They were just trying to get information, writing down every word you said. You’ve known them for how long? A week? How much of that time have they spent avoiding you? Huh, Farm Boy?” The bombardment of questions made Ralsei’s head spin more than it already was, but the name Angie called made his soul twinge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do not call me that.” His face felt hot. “How do you know about that?” Ralsei whimpered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know everything, Ralsei. I know enough to say who your real friends are, and that’s nobody. But things are gonna be alright, you know why? Because you’ve got me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei caught his breath and leaned back up to his feet, wiping his eyes. “I-I guess you’re right, but please don’t threaten anyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They laughed at the sleep deprived goat. “As long as you do what you’re supposed to, I won’t have to. Besides, it’s all just a story, remember? You’re writing it, nobody else. You’re not just the Knight, Ralsei. You’re a god. You are God.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right…” Ralsei sniffled and leaned against the tree to rest for a moment. “I...I am important. Even without them.” His lip quivered. “But I don’t need them, you’re right! I...we can do it ourselves.” His heart felt broken, but it only emboldened his determination.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the spirit! We’re invincible! Do what I say, and we’ll be untouchable. Now...hm. That soul of yours has proven to be nothing but a burden.” Ralsei held up the flimsy dagger and poked at the soul, making it lean over. The tape had already come loose, rendering the weapon useless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I could have done a better job putting it together…” The soul struggled weakly, making Ralsei hold it in place with his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All that power...it seems like a waste to have to rely on a traitor to use it properly. The dagger will never work with it squirming around like that.” Angie giggled. “I can tell you like it. Do you remember them, Ralsei? All those nights you spent thinking of it, dreaming of it? Don’t hide it, I can see all of your little power fantasies from here.” Ralsei stared at the soul, closing his hand around it. “Oh, I can see the look in your eyes. You declared yourself the prince of that cardboard kingdom when you first got there, why not do it with this one? We can make so many stories together. All three of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei tightened his grip around the soul, feeling the sharpened edge cut into his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to pretend anymore, Ralsei. The world is your green book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The world is my green book...I knew they were real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angie giggled as his hand bled, Kris’s soul being absorbed into his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course they are, Ralsei. You’re the one who wrote them.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Echoes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When a memory is no longer held by anyone, where does it go? Does it die, or does it simply cease to exist? Though now the memory of the Darkners dwindled, being kept alive only by two teenagers and the dismissed elderly, they were not always living examples of this question. Long, long ago, the sun was setting on the race of monsters, and they were being rounded up. The Lightners had feared rebellion among the Darkners, and had decided that they were simply no longer worth the risk. Many Darkners spoke out against this, stating that no Darkner would ever be able to hold a candle to a Lightner in prowess, and tried to fight back. Most of them, however, let themselves be quietly corralled to their prison. It was a land comprised purely of magic, held together by an erupting fountain created by the Lightners’ most powerful mage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were marched in lines through gateways made in the air, weapons at their backs if they tried to do anything disruptive. One Darkner among them was a tailor’s son by the name of Renhy, a young shadow of an adult who had fallen in love with a Lightner, and had been seeing her in secrecy for months. The mage’s daughter Seisel was a boss monster, and thus held a high status due to her family’s heritage and wealth. They both knew the Darkner’s exile was coming, and they made a plan to run away together in whatever place the Darkners would be sent to, for they believed that even hell itself would be preferable to a world without each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renhy had made Seisel a cloak to disguise herself, enchanting it to make her appear to be a Darkner, and they let themselves be captured by the Lightner authority and led into the darkness. They were paid no mind, and eventually made it through without a hitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once inside, the couple tagged along with a group of Darkners and headed north, where they set up their own village. The land was fertile and housed a multitude of strange animals, making the village have to figure out what creatures made proper livestock through trial and error. As the village grew and developed, hope had returned to the Darkners. The ground allowed for bountiful harvests of various mushrooms, and they tamed beasts by the droves for their meat and leather. The community was thriving and tight knit, but they did not look at the Lightners in a positive view. Renhy and Seisel continued to keep their secrecy, but to an even more drastic extent. She was forced to wear her cloak whenever she went outside, and was only supposed to when she absolutely had to unless it was to help work their crops. They loved each other, but Seisel felt isolated and sought more from her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Seisel told Renhy she was pregnant, Renhy’s tendriljerk reaction was to be happy and excited, but bitterness tainted his heart. In his mind, a boss monster having a child was pretty much a death sentence, as the parents would begin to age with the child. Renhy wasn’t ready to start facing the end of Seisel’s life so soon, and he grew to resent the child before it was even born. When the day finally came for the baby to be delivered, Renhy was forced to figure it out himself. Nobody had ever given birth in the village before, and they lacked medical experience from reliance on magic. But even if there was a doctor in the village, they would have been unable to do so at the near certainty of Seisel’s true identity being exposed. They named their son Immanuel, and the joy in their heart at his arrival was murked up by dread when they saw his appearance. Apparently Seisel’s genetics had taken the helm during the development, because their child almost completely resembled his mother. A mini-boss monster, if you will.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They kept Immanuel a secret from the rest of the village, not knowing what else to do. Seisel couldn’t bear to think what would happen if they saw a Lightner child around, and protected him to the point of almost being overbearing. While Rehny worked harder and harder to make up for Seisel being out of commission, she taught Immanuel and cared for him while he was still unable to walk. As the years went on, Immanuel grew to be old enough to not require constant supervision, and even do simple farm work. Immanuel was forced to follow the same rules as Seisel was out of necessity, but it only made them grow more attached. They would spent nearly every moment together, from when they woke up to whenever Immanuel drifted to sleep in his mother’s lap after dinner. She schooled him as best she could, but beyond reading and writing he would mostly teach himself. But while all this was happening, Renhy grew more and more distant. He worked day in and day out, the only difference now being that he wasn’t doing it with his best friend and wife. He felt like he had lost her ever since Immanuel was born, and the resentment in his heart grew stronger. Renhy loved his son and would never show that resentment to him, but it still kept him up at night. He could only ever spend time with Immanuel during work, teaching him the skills he’d need for when he was older and could work more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Immanuel grew up, he discovered a passion for literature. Reading was his favorite thing to do when he wasn’t working, and it soon grew to include writing as well. He had a boundless imagination, writing little stories and drawing pictures to show to his parents. He wrote about what it could be like outside the front door, and the few buildings he could see outside the windows of their tiny house. Renhy had told him time and time again to stay away from the windows, but Immanuel’s imagination needed nourishment. He’d watch people walk by outside, and would then use them to make the characters for his stories. Immanuel and Seisel would play pretend with each other after dinner on occasion, letting him come up with the characters and scenarios for them to play out. Their lives were lonely and at times harsh, but they were happy together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Immanuel grew to be 8 years old, he noticed that his parents had started to fight with each other a lot. His mother wasn’t usually up to play with him anymore, but he didn’t mind it too much as it left him more time for him to write. There wasn’t much space in their home, so he had nowhere to go to not hear Seisel and Rehny’s fights. He would lay under the blankets on his bed and try his best to not listen, focusing instead on a book, or a story he was writing. Soon, he began to write about his own life. It was easier than having to come up with something himself, but he didn’t think it was as fun. He made it a habit to write down things that he thought were important, which could almost be anything based on the fact that he had never seen beyond his family’s property. Every night before he went to bed, he would write the day’s events down and hide the book under his pillow. After a while, Immanuel struggled to think of new things to write. Everyday was the same, and even his parents arguing became too normal an occurrence to write down. So he did what he did best, and pretended. His diary soon became filled with tales of magical strangers, mythical creatures, and most of all, his parents being happy again. It distracted his mind from the stresses of his day to day life, and Immanuel looked forward to that time every day. When he was working, eating, or studying, he always thought about what he could write next in his book. He even put himself as a character in his story, finding that to be the most fun of all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But one day, Renhy decided that his life just wasn’t what it once was anymore. He would stay out late, and not come home until the early hours of the morning, smelling of alcohol and sweat. Immanuel remembered sitting and reading quietly in the living room with his father when Seisel stormed in the room, in tears. Immanuel wasn’t sure what was going on, but from what he gathered his parents must have been playing a game, because she was yelling at him about cheating. Immanuel quickly got up to try and comfort his mother, but recoiled back when she slapped his father across the face. He was stunned, having never seen his mother commit any act of violence before. Renhy got up and grabbed her by the shoulders, shoving her back. Immanuel grew frightened, and ran away to his room and under his blankets. He covered his ears and closed his eyes, hearing the front door slam shut. He heard his door open, and the blankets were pulled off of him. He opened his eyes and was met with his teary eyed mother, jostling his shoulder and telling him that they had to leave. She gave him an itchy cloak to put on, and told him not to let go of her hand as she frantically got him ready to leave. He asked what was going on, but got no response and was carried out the back door by his mother. They both had their working clothes on, only confusing Immanuel more. He had his diary under his free hand, putting it up his sleeve so nobody would see it. He had been about to write in it to distract him, but his mother caught him by surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>People were starting to come to their little house, looking in the windows and going inside. A few of them turned towards them and began to yell, making Seisel pull her son close to him. He couldn’t see the crowd of Darkners, but he could hear their voices getting closer. His mother crouched down, took off their hoods, and put her arms around him. She told him that he needed to run away back towards the end of the farm, and to keep running past it. She looked into her son’s eyes and told him she loved him, and that she would be with him soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now go! Hurry!” Was the last thing she would ever say to her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immanuel turned around and ran as fast as he could, but it wasn’t fast enough. Immanuel worked on the farm with his parents, and it had strengthened him, but he had always been a small child. He ran and ran, but heard his father calling to him. He turned around and saw his father within the crowd, pointing at him. Confused, he stopped and turned his head to see his mother being apprehended by the crowd. When a few of the villagers began to run after him, he felt like he was frozen. Seisel turned around, allowing Immanuel to see her face. She yelled and broke out of their hold momentarily, blasting the ones chasing him with magic so powerful and fast that it was like lightning striking them to the ground. He didn’t waste another second running away again, heading down a hill. Seisel let herself be tackled to the ground, looking in her son’s direction until he disappeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrenaline flowed through Immanuel, fueling him to run for hours. His legs felt numb and his lungs burned, but he had to keep running. He wasn’t sure when he was supposed to stop, but he certainly didn’t feel safe enough to. The hilly terrain of his home was long behind him, being replaced with long stretches of flat land, seeming to go on for miles in every direction. There was nowhere to hide for a break, but he saw something in the sky that gave him some comfort. A goal he could run to, and something that he hoped his mother would know to go to as well. It was a massive pillar of blue light in the distance, seeming to rise up out of the ground. His legs carried him farther and farther, closing in on the tower of light. As he got closer he saw that there were walls around the pillar, making him both hopeful and scared. His parents had always told him not to try and talk to anyone he didn’t know, or to even be seen by them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he was right up against the wall, he leaned on it to rest for a moment. He had been running for hours, and was struggling to stand up at this point. He almost fell over as the bricks in the wall crumbled and tipped over at his weight, making a small opening. Immanuel looked around and didn’t feel safe out in the open, so he bit his lip and squeezed through the opening in the wall. This put him within a few arms reach of the tower, but his eye was caught by something even grander behind it. Immanuel had never seen a building larger than one wall of the store in his village, so to see a castle was almost overwhelming. He finally sat down by the brick wall to rest for a moment, panting for air on the gravelly ground. He hugged his diary to his chest, just wanting to hold on to something. Once the adrenaline ran dry in his heart, it grew heavy with something else. Immanuel had been running for hours, but he sat and cried for even longer. He laid onto his side and curled up into a ball with his hood over his head, sobbing and calling out quietly for his parents to come soon, pleading with them even. He fell asleep there on the ground, the wall and fountain obscuring most views of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he woke up, he was distressed to still find himself on the hard ground bathing in blue light. He still didn’t see anyone by the castle, so he decided to try and investigate further. Tiptoeing and holding his breath, Immanuel snuck around the side of the castle all the way to the front side. He gulped, and went up to the door. His hands shook and he knocked on the door softly, keeping his hood pulled up tight. The horns that had begun to grow on top of his head bulged out against the fabric, looking like two tiny nubs. There was no answer at the door so he tried again after waiting for a minute. Still no answer. After a lot of internal debate, Immanuel decided to bite the bullet and go inside. The door creaked open, and he wondered if it was going to fall off the hinges. The inside was even more quiet, the only sound before being the deceptively soft hum of the fountain. There were no signs of anybody being there, so he figured whoever’s house it was wouldn’t mind that he stayed there until his mother came.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But a week went by, and there was still no sign of anyone. Immanuel grew slightly more comfortable within the castle, but his worry grew tenfold every day he went without a sign from his mother. He’d curl up under the kitchen table every night and cry, being scared of all the dim hallways and imaginary monsters that lurked deep inside the castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A month went by, and Immanuel was starting to give up hope. He had found food inside the castle stock and kitchen, living off the ingredients and scraps that had remained untouched by rot and dust for the most part. To soothe his fear the slightest bit, he did what he’d always do. He wrote stories in his diary, filling every page until there were no more pages to fill. He had built up the courage to go up the stairs, and found a large bedroom to claim his. He had explored more and found the library, spending his days reading story after story, from epic poems to fairy tales to novels to stageplays. When he found a book he really liked, he would act out scenes from them by himself. They weren’t nearly as fun as when he did it with his mother, though. Whenever he would finish a scene, he would think of her and go sit by the crack in the wall for a few hours, hoping that she might be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A year went by, and he had grown even more immersed in the world of fiction than he already was. He had found a recipe book and tried to do the ones he could with the ingredients on hand, allowing him to distract himself and have nice dinners with his favorite books, pretending that he was inserted into their stories with dinner scenes and staged dialogue. He pushed reality away further and further, and by the time he was a young teenager he couldn’t recall any of his childhood years. Reality was harsh, but he rejected it. He had grown to despise it and his memories, and it reflected in the stories he wrote in the empty brown covered books. His trauma and fears festered in the back of his mind, locked away so he wouldn’t ever find them. He had worked hard to forget, and to reinvent himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immanuel sewed himself new clothes, but he couldn’t remember how he knew how to. He was naturally predisposed to arcane excellence, teaching himself essential spells for first aid and sleep assistance with his natural gifts. He had repressed the memory of his old life to such an extent that he forgot which stories in his diary were real, and which were made up. He put it up on a shelf with all of his other books, and shut the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was on his 14th birthday that he had his first visitor. Hearing a sound that wasn’t made by him filled him with panic, hearing a knock at the door. Immanuel froze up, and he looked towards the door. He thought that if he was still enough, whoever was there would go away. But part of him felt like he was supposed to be waiting for someone. Who was it again?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His train of thought was derailed as the door opened, revealing a giant of a man donning a blue hood and a white crown. They immediately locked eyes despite the large figure having them obscured, and Immanuel stayed still as a statue. He was leading a troop of snake-like soldiers with diamond patterns, and a small child that looked to be his son. The figure’s voice was deep, but soft.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodness, my apologies are in order for intruding. I had thought that nobody lived here.” The massive Darkner bowed his head to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh…” The sound barely escaped from Immanuel’s mouth, feeling like he had just been caught. He didn’t know any of these people, and that could only mean that they wanted to hurt him. He was just glad that he happened to have his hat on. “It’s...okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Outla, one of the kings of Card Kingdom. Some of my men had come across your home, and it was previously unbeknownst to us. Our deepest apologies are in order.” He tugged on his son’s arm, letting him know to bow along with the soldiers. It made Immanuel feel...powerful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But in that moment, Immanuel had died.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. My name is Ralsei, I am the prince of this kingdom.” He smiled, getting into character one last time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is nice to meet you, Prince Ralsei. I am glad we could resolve this issue peacefully. I will have your drawbridge fixed immediately, as well. Is there anything I could do to repay you for this transgression?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei thought for a moment, getting an idea. “Do you have any books?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The King of Spades seemed quite pleased with the question. “Of course. I know a few that you simply must read. Are you familiar with the Knight?” Ralsei shook his head. “Excellent. Always happy to spread the good word. I will have one of my soldiers drop them off by tomorrow.” They said their goodbyes and left, leaving Ralsei once again alone in his world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at the ground for a moment, then began to walk straight towards the library. He knelt down and started the fireplace with a spark from his finger, pulling the cage away without a second thought. On the shelf in its usual spot sat Immanuel’s favorite book, The Prince of Darkness. It was about a young prince named Ralsei and his adventures around the world, ending with him defeating an evil king not by force, but with words and forgiveness. But it didn’t matter now, because it was now being consumed by the flames in the fireplace, vanishing into ashes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next day, Ralsei received two books that would change his life. One gave him hope, and the other gave him faith. From that day on, Ralsei prepared for the Lightners to arrive. He had never had a friend before, having been stuck in his castle all his life. A few years later Kris and Susie appeared in his quiet town, and it taught Ralsei a lot of things. It taught him about love, friendship, compassion, and when you need to stand up for yourself. But most importantly, it taught him that stories could really come true, not that it mattered. Ralsei had convinced himself of that years ago. The stories from his childhood were sat next to the rest of the books on the shelf in the library, and he could no longer tell the difference. As far as Ralsei knew, all the books in his castle were written by him, and starred him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But on that fateful night, it all came crashing down around him. He had seen his mother’s face again, and it all came rushing back to him. There she sat, reading in her chair. He had suddenly been taken back to his old home, his old living room, and to his old mother. She looked at him and smiled, and Ralsei had gone to hold her hands and tell her how much he had missed her. But as sudden as he was brought there he was yanked away by a powerful hand on his neck, being plucked right back into Kris’s house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful, you almost fell over.” Susie told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toriel had awakened something in Ralsei’s brain, an entire identity previously discarded for plastic magic and rubber soul. Ralsei’s memories rotted into a foul liquid in his mind, soaking his brain like the soil he grew up tending to. A sprout grew roots into his mind, its seed having always been there. They called themselves Angie, and were too shy to speak up until Ralsei had been abandoned again.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to the party, Kris!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is their name even Kris? It’s just a soul.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm. I’m not sure...baaa. Oh my.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure, I just felt compelled to. Baa.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Sing This All Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A wind began to pick up through the trees of the Dark Realm, a welcome reprieve for the panting dragon whelp trudging through the forest. Susie had run for nearly the entire duration of her search, but still hadn’t seen any sign of Ralsei. Part of her wanted to just take the travel doors so she didn’t have to keep walking, but even she was smart enough to figure out that he could have just not taken them himself. Her feet ached, but there wasn’t any time to take a break.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is he so fast? His legs are like toothpicks, and he’s a total brainiac.” Susie huffed, her tongue flopping out of her mouth dryly. “I swear to god, Ralsei, when I find you...I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” She felt the guilt pang in her stomach, like the burden of fault rested completely on her shoulders. “I probably shouldn’t have broken into your house and snooped around, but...I guess I have been a bit of a shitty friend.” She thought aloud, taking a break in the form of going from a run to a walk. “I just hope he’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt loose strands of hair begin to stand up on her head, making her itch her scalp. Suddenly, the booming sound of thunder roared in the distance. “Great, it better not start raining on top of everything.” She groaned with annoyance and walked faster. “I didn’t even know there could be thunder here.” Susie looked up at the sky. “There aren’t even clouds, I think? Could just be too dark, but whatever. If it happens, it happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air around the forest bake sale froze with fear as the sound of jangling metal and chain grew closer and closer, making the whole area feel chilly. The Rudiin and Hathy manning the stands raised their shoulders with a shiver, but their attention was quickly stolen away towards the entrance of the clearing. The source of the jangling had revealed itself to the Darkners of the sale, striding in with an uneven gait. A towering individual completely covered in polished, spotless armor, and thick, winding horns coming out of horns in their helmet like a decorative crown. Their eyes were hidden behind the armored helmet they wore, but the chill that the vendors felt told them that they were the figure’s targets. The two Darkners exchanged side glances and gulped as the greatsword wielded over the stranger’s shoulder bobbed with every step. Hathy pulsated nervously as they came to a stop in between the two stands, and took off their helmet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay guys, tell me what you want.” Ralsei held the helmet in his other hand by his hip, looking back and forth at the two stands. “They have chocolate and jelly, so those are your two choices.” He placed the sword onto the ground carefully and scratched his head. The soul’s power had transformed him into a being of tremendous power, going from a scrawny shortstack to a tall, slightly less boney warrior. Ralsei didn’t know the first thing about using a sword, but Kris’s soul had convinced him to make himself one. The armor had been Angie’s idea, fitting more with the knight motif he was going for. He thought it was encumbering and very hot inside, but he just couldn’t say no to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DIAMOND.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here? We don’t have time for a snack run, Ralsei.” Angie said with authority in their voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m hungry, and plus, eating together is what friends do.” Ralsei replied, his voice quickly losing confidence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a god now, idiot. You don’t need to eat. You don’t care about friends anymore, remember? I thought we were done with all this Ralsei nonsense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s true…” He began, but the soul cut him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei winced, the voice in his head being shrill and loud. “I’m talking to Angie, can you not hear her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“OWfH OcToHuErFsUeC KhIeS AcNaGn’IEt hear me,” Both of the voices spoke at the same time, making Ralsei pull on his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you guys please try not to talk at the same time? It’s making my head hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two baked good vendors stared in confusion and horror at the freak show going on before them, the Rudiin pointing to himself and opening his mouth. “Are...are you talking to us…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I SAID WHO THE FUCK IS ANGIE? NOBODY IS TALKING TO US.” The soul repeated, even louder this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please stop screaming at me.” Ralsei covered his ears uselessly. “I’m already very stressed right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, seriously. Shut up, Kris, you noisy little pipsqueak. When this is over, you should stomp on his soul until it’s nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-What? I would never…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you care? He thinks you’re weak, and he abandoned you. He used you and then he left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“IS WHOEVER ANGIE IS TALKING SHIT? I’LL RIP HER FUCKING THROAT OUT WITH MY TEETH. TELL HER I SAID THAT.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“G-G-Guys, please…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, please, tell Kris that I can hear him fine, and that I’d like to see him try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“THAT REMINDS ME, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? CUTTING ME UP AND SHIT, I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cacophony of voices tortured Ralsei with their incessant bickering, growing more and more nasty at each other, but then turning their eyes to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Angie said…” Ralsei’s heart fluttered, and began to feel like he couldn’t breathe with his armor on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’re gonna shift the blame onto me now? You are such a little coward.” Angie hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not...I…” Ralsei squeaked timidly, beginning to try and pull his armor off. The gauntlets came off first, but the bracers were more difficult to shake off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir!” The Rudiin had been shouting at him for almost 30 seconds, only just now making it to his ears. “Are you alright? Can I help you with something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was too much. Ralsei couldn’t handle being the main character of his story anymore, and he just wanted to go home. He ignored the Rudiin and threw his bracers to the ground. The pink cape on his back fluttered onto his arm from the wind of the throw, the feeling of it touching his arm making him jerk his head back to see what had touched him. “Get away from me! Leave me alone!” The Rudiin jumped back as Ralsei desperately tugged off his chestplate and threw it at the ground, yelling. “Get out of my head!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT? NO WAY, YOU BROUGHT ME HERE, AND THIS BODY IS SICK.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right, get angry! Crush these Darkners like the scum they are! Do it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei began to pay attention to his surroundings somewhat, noticing the Rudiin and Hathy staring at him in awe. His face turned red and he shoved the helmet back onto his head so nobody could see him. The heat of the closed helmet didn’t help as the suicide soda of voices in his head got louder and louder, making Ralsei pull on his horns and grit his teeth. “Stop it! Please.” Ralsei pleaded with them. The soul used this opportunity to catch Ralsei off guard, taking control of his body and going up to the stand. They reached behind the counter and grabbed a choco-diamond, disregarding the clerk telling them to stop. They flipped up their visor, bleating and putting it into their mouth with a smug grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was dark. Ralsei didn’t know where he was. “They stole everything from us, Immanuel.” Angie’s voice echoed in his head. Did he even have one anymore? He saw a blurred figure in the void he was in. It began to speak, standing right in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh dear, what happened? Are you alright?” He tried to answer, but someone else did for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I stepped on a plow and it hit me on my nose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww. You’ve got to pay more attention where you’re walking. Here.” The figure reached out and touched his snout, feeling the soft warmth of healing magic wash over it. “Is that better? He felt himself nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, mommy!” He clapped excitedly, feeling a hand on the back of his head. It was peaceful and quiet, and everything felt like it was going to be alright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My little Manny. I love you.” The figure reached its arms out to him, and Ralsei so badly wanted to close the distance. But the voice faded out, and he felt himself being pulled away from the figure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They stole everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snap. “Scram, ya cheapskate! Last time I fall for a sleazy scam like that.” The Rudiin behind the counter was yelling at him, and he didn’t know why. But something was different. Ralsei felt something inside him, and the voices in his head were quiet. There was a coalescence from inside his body, his soul feeling empowered. Angie, Kris’s Soul, Immanuel; Ralsei had realized why they were all brought together. There was a fire of emotion burning inside him, and his mind had never been more clear. They all had one common goal deep down, and one primal desire so strong that it allowed them to become one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, buddy! I know you can hear me, get outta here!” The Rudiin waved his arms angrily behind the pastry thief, but felt his blood freeze when they looked over their shoulder with daggers for eyes. “Listen...just, please leave. I don’t wanna make this a bigger deal than it already is. The amalgamated soul within pumped venom through the Knight’s body as they calmly picked up the sword resting on the ground. “H-Hey, I’m sorry, alright? Let’s just pretend this never happened. Let’s not be hasty, it’s on the house! Alright?!” The Rudiin backed up as the Knight approached, pulling their sword back. “I’ll give you the money in the till! I swear I won’t tell anyone, just please-” With one thrust of the arm, it was quiet once again. The Hathy fled the forest clearing as fast as they could, but the Knight paid no attention. They were in no rush, and had a lot of work to do. Lightners, Darkners, Humans. The Knight’s soul had only one goal within it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Make them pay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris woke up with a start in the hospital bed, his hand going to his chest. In pretending to be asleep, he had actually fallen asleep for a few hours. He patted himself to make sure all his parts were still there after a very strange dream, and felt his pockets. Ah, still no phone. He sat up and stretched, letting out a yawn. He now felt completely fine, and just in time too. He had started to wish he was able to go to school, and Kris was just glad that the pain had vanished before it could drive him mad. But he was alone in his room, and unsure of what to do to tell the doctors he felt fine. He couldn’t just waltz out into the waiting room and check out, could he? Before he could plan very far, a nurse came into his room. “Kris, how did you sleep? How are you feeling?” The massive mouthed monster asked him softly, going up and putting a hand to his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, I’m alright now I think.” He scratched his nose. “I slept okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? That’s good. No pain anywhere? The doctors still can’t figure out what was the issue, but our best hunch is that you were dehydrated. Remember to drink plenty of water, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris nodded. “Is my mom still here, or did she leave?” The nurse smiled and let out a small laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, your mom has been in the waiting room all day. I tried to talk to her, but she seemed busy grading papers so I left her alone. Things get slow when you only have two hospital rooms around here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris stood up off the bed, stretching his legs and trying to pretend like he didn’t smell like absolute garbage. “What time is it?” Kris rubbed his eyes, yawning once again. He wasn’t hurting anymore, but something felt...off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just past noon, but don’t worry, I’ll tell your mom to take you home.” The nurse gave Kris the most subtle grin she could with a mouth the size of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” Kris forced a chuckle and went out to the waiting room with the nurse. Toriel was there with Asriel, twiddling her thumbs with a nervous look. She was brought back to life at the sight of Kris, making Asriel snap back to attention shortly after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said he’s feeling alright now, but take it easy for a few days and see how things go. Come back if it happens again, or you notice anything else weird.” The nurse spoke to Toriel and Asriel mostly, but Kris wasn’t listening anyway. He was wanting to go see what Susie and Ralsei were up to, but he was also in desperate need of a shower. He came up with a genius plan, smirking to himself in the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, mom? Can you take me home to shower, and then take me back to school?” Toriel looked at him in the rearview mirror like he was crazy. “Me and Susie have a project due, and I’d like to not miss any of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure, Kris? I really don’t mind if you stay home and rest today, Kris.” Toriel said with concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, do us a favor and skip class, Kris.” Asriel chimed in to try and lighten up the mood. He had become an expert at it over the course of the divorce. “I’m not trying to wake up at 2 am to carry you to the hospital again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would only think about yourself, you fucking asshole.” Kris said in his head, and then proceeded to talk with his mouth. “It’s not anything strenuous, I just wanna work on the project with Susie.” Toriel sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you insist that you will be alright, Kris. I have already taken the day off, so take your time at home. And don’t hesitate to tell me if you change your mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not just have her come over after school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck y-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’d probably just end up goofing off instead.” Kris blinked, and Asriel looked back at him with a smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, goof off.” He raised his eyebrows at him, but Kris’s face stayed unmoved. “Jeez, alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris was dropped back off at school after a shower and a change of clothes, ready for some antics in the Dark Realm. He wondered if Susie would still be in there as he snuck through the main hall, making sure nobody saw him. The metal doors opened for him and cloaked him in darkness once inside, slamming shut just as the younger kids were starting to go home for the day. The collapsing floor had saved him from an encounter with the substitute teacher, a ghost named Spotichip. Kris reminisced as he traversed the usual route to Ralsei’s castle, remembering all the times they had substituted for him when he was in the younger class, and realized that they seemed a lot less cool now that he was older. He was at the very least thankful for teaching him how to do a pirouette, and loved to do them when nobody else was around. But his embarrassing nostalgia for the art of dance was interrupted, seeing that Ralsei’s doors were left wide open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” Kris called out, walking through the drawbridge and in through the front door. The castle was empty, as to be expected, and Kris began to wander around just as Susie had. One door had been left open, catching Kris’s eye. “Yo, Ralsei? Susie?” He went over to the door and reared his head around the corner of it, only seeing a plain room with a mess of books on the floor. The room made him feel uneasy, but the book open on the floor caught his eye and drew him in. Kris jumped as the castle shook slightly, hearing a loud booming sound in the distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thunder? Weird.” He picked up the book without much thought and put it back on the shelf, rubbing his cheek. “Should I just go home? Nah, I’m already here. I got 4 hours, so I may as well use them.” He wandered back out into the halls, thinking. “If I were Susie, where would I be?” He snapped his fingers. “Food. Bake sale. Boom.” He grinned to himself and pranced out the front door, feeling in a strangely good mood. He felt full of energy, and...nausea. Kris suddenly keeled over and vomited onto the ground, having thankfully been outside. “Urgh, what the hell...maybe I need to eat something, too.” He rubbed his stomach and walked the rest of the way out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris’s LOVE increased.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Meat Flavoured Factor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The bake sale had been vacated, leaving the lone visitor confused. She looked around and saw there wasn’t a soul in sight, but she wasn’t alone. A pair of eyes watched her from behind the Diamond stand, observing her with malintent brewing in their heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, hello? Are you guys closed, or…? Ralsei?” Her raspy voice filled the area as the winds carried her words away from anyone who could hear. Her back was turned, leaving her open for attack. Each silent step on the grass brought her assailant closer to her back, the steel of their boots being muffled by the soft ground. They reached out slowly, smiling wide, and grabbed Susie’s arm in their cold metal grip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie gasped and lunged back away, jerking her arms to the side. “JESUS!! Kris, you little asshole!” She whipped her head around to see the grinning human staring up at her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, what are you doing out of the hospital? Have you seen Ralsei anywhere?” She quickly regained her composure and rubbed her opposite shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris swallowed something he was chewing on and shrugged. “I’m alright. I think. I threw up on Ralsei’s front yard, but I think it was just because I was hungry. He wasn’t at his house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn. I’ve been looking for him everywhere, I think something is going on. I kinda broke into his house, and when he showed up I heard him talking to someone he seemed to be pretty freaked out by. He said they were gonna hurt someone, and he ran off.” Susie’s mouth curled down with worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, shit, really?” Kris put another choco diamond in his mouth. “I broke into his house too, he wasn’t there though. That place is creepy. I was looking for you guys, but I kinda thought you’d be together.” Kris grinded his boot on the ground nonchalantly. “I’d say our best bet is to go to Lancer’s place and work backwards. Also, how’d I get here before you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t take the door, I was trying to look for him.” She narrowed her eyes slightly at Kris. “I guess it’s the only plan we got. Should we split up?” Kris shook his head and swallowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, we wouldn’t know when to stop looking. Plus, no offense, but I wouldn’t want you to get lost and have to worry about finding you too.” He smirked and felt his hand get smacked, making partially melted choco diamonds litter the ground. “Ow! What the hell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why aren’t you taking this seriously? He could be in deep shit, do you even care? Don’t pout at me either, because I know you didn’t pay for those little diamond things.” She bared her teeth and clenched her fists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I care, alright? I was just about to say we should go look for him instead of standing around and bitching at each other.” He shook his hand off, feeling quite the sting even with armor on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie sighed and lowered her shoulders. “You’re right. Let’s just get to a door.” They began to head back towards the door before the bake sale, feeling an air of unease. “Were there not any guys at the bake sale when you got here?” Susie turned to look at Kris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, not even the hammer guy. I thought maybe they were closed or something, but there was warm food behind the counter. What ever happened, they must have been really wanting to get out of there. Someone spilled a big thing of flour on the ground and it was just left there. Maybe it’s like lunch hour or something.” Kris shrugged and opened the door in the wall, feeling the multicolored fire blow coolly against his bangs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you know it was flour?” Susie shielded her eyes from the cold wind, ushering Kris inside so they weren’t dawdling in it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dunno, it’s a bake sale. What else could it be, sugar? Point is, it doesn’t matter.” The fire washed over them, and they were spat back out in front of Card Castle. They were immediately greeted with yells and commotion, whole squads of Royal Guards pointing their blades at the two. “Uh…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the Lightners, stand down!” A commanding voice pushed through and their blades were lowered. A Guard dressed in blue pushed his way to the front of the line, and the two could now see that there was a barricade put up in the road leading to the castle. “Lightners, thank goodness you are here. I am the head of the Royal Guard, and it is an honor to meet you.” The guard turned to the rest of his troops. “Look alive, people! The Lightners will be giving you your orders now!” Susie and Kris looked at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on a second, what’s going on? We don’t know how to lead these guys!” Susie tried to look down the road, but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you were doing a pretty good job, so why don’t you just keep telling them what to do. That’s an order.” The commander humbled himself to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir. Guards! The Lightners have ordered you to listen to me for instruction!” The troops raised their blades in salute and understanding. Susie was beginning to grow impatient.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah. Are you gonna tell us what’s going on? We’re kinda in a hurry, here. You see anybody in a green robe running around? Pink scarf?” Susie put her hands on her hips and menaced over the commander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, my apologies. We haven’t seen anybody like that come through here, but we have only set up defenses recently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Defenses? For what?” Kris interjected, scratching under his chin. “Susie’s right here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…” Susie snarled at him, knocking the smugness off his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One of our citizens reported that a rogue warrior is loose in the kingdom, and has already taken the life of one of our people.” The commander bowed his head. “We have men out to order anyone that may be outside to stay in their homes, and we are sticking here to protect the castle.” Susie felt a pit open in her stomach, her mind immediately going to link the two events.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie? Do you think that…” Kris began, turning to look her in the face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Susie clasped her hand over his mouth tightly, not even wanting to think of Ralsei getting caught by someone like that, let alone hear about it. “Whatever you were going to say, just shut up.” She looked Kris dead in the eyes, crouching down to his level. “We’re going out there.” She stood back up and let go of Kris, leaving him to rub his cheeks at where her claws had poked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?! Lightners, I implore you to stay safe. You could be imperative in a defensive operation.” The commander scrambled to keep them put, but Susie was already hopping the barricade. Kris followed her, just walking around it into the grass. “Please…!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Kris hustled up back to her side. “I don’t exactly feel combat ready. I just ate like 5 choco diamonds, and I might be sick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie stopped and looked at him with her eyes lowered. “You don’t have to come, but I’m going. If you wanna stay here and stand around with those assholes, be my guest.” She kept walking, but Kris hesitated to follow her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not making excuses, Susie. I know the guys here aren’t exactly invincible, but neither are we. I’m worried about him too, but…” Susie turned around with even more of a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wanna be a little bitch about it, I already told you what you can do. You gonna waste any more of our time? Don’t even think about stopping me, freak.” She kept walking, forcing Kris to go after her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, look. I’m scared, and I know you are too.” Susie’s look weakened. “But I’m scared of something happening to you, and I’m sure you’re scared of something happening to Ralsei.” Kris looked at the ground behind her. “But the thing I’m scared of the most is that you aren’t afraid of something happening to yourself.” Susie kept facing forward. “I’m coming with you, just please be careful. Don’t try to be a hero or anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked back at him with a smile, smacking him on the back. “Kris.” She showed her teeth with a grin. “Not being a hero is probably the easiest thing I’ll ever do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crunch. Dust. Nothing. The Knight shambled slowly across the Great Board, leaving a small beach of Ponmen powder in their wake. They were weak, and couldn’t survive even an unarmed strike. It felt empty. They never said a word, their entire being too consumed in viscous, bubbling hatred to do anything but destroy. They walked at the pace of a light stroll, dragging their sword on the ground. Yet they kept moving forward, hellbent on their vengeance banishing the poison that flowed through their veins. It baptised the frightened child at their core with a potluck of toxins and acid, burning away at his insides and making every second of living pure agony. Violent hatred, knowing that you’ll never truly belong, crushing loneliness, endless self doubt, and having your whole world stolen from you. It hurt. It hurt so, very badly. But if they were going to hurt, then everyone was going to have to with them. They lifted their sword as a voice was heard approaching the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there anyone out there?! It is very important that you answer! You need to get inside somewhere immediately, this is not a drill!” A guard repeated as he quickly slithered his way around the board. “Excuse me, sir or madame…!” The guard called out to them, getting closer. Their face remained the same under their helmet, tired and flat. There was no collective conscience, and barely any thought at all. Like a wounded animal, they braced themselves in fear as the guard approached them. “Wait, you…” The guard stopped. “You’re that monster that is slaughtering our people!” He drew his weapon and pointed at them. “I won’t let you go a step farther!” The Knight never stopped walking forward to begin with. “I told you to stop! En guarde, murderer!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, man, my boots are all sticky now.” Susie grumbled as she had accidentally stepped on a fallen dark fruit, making it burst all over the ground. “This sucks, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next time get metal ones.” Kris snarked at her, keeping his head on a swivel for any signs of danger. “Quit looking at the ground and be on the lookout.” Kris clutched his sword in his hands tightly, the reflection of the metal catching Susie’s eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, did you get a new sword? I thought you had a shitty wooden one.” She reached over and touched the blade carefully, feeling cold steel. “Damn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Uh, yeah.” He answered quickly, looking away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’d you get it? Shit looks deadly.” She took her hand away and felt her axe handle in her hands. “I have no clue where my axe comes from, and I didn’t even get to keep the cooler one we bought from Rouxls. So how’d you get a new one? Now’s a really shitty time to keep secrets, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris sighed in frustration at her tenacity in keeping the subject alive, and gripped his sword tighter. “Alright, fine. It depends on what you bring in with you, I think. My last sword was from a pencil Noelle gave me.” He swallowed nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh. I didn’t bring anything with me, so maybe it’s different for me. Whatever, doesn’t matter very much now.” She flipped it in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we please just stay quiet and be on the lookout?” Kris looked around at his area. He was trying to avoid the conversation, but he also really did want to be careful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll whisper. Might be the last conversation we ever have, so…” She snorted with a shrug. “By the way, what’s your...deal...with Noelle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My deal?” Kris raised an eyebrow at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, y’know. Are you guys friends, or…?” Susie scratched the back of her head. “Somethin’ else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris gave Susie an unamused look. “First of all, what makes you think now is a good time to bring this up? Second, no, we are just friends. Maybe friends. Third, everybody knows she’s super into you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks darkened. “What? Quit messin’ with me, dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not, are you joking? It’s so obvious.” Kris furrowed his brow and whispered louder. “Have you ever talked to her a single time? Probably not, because she can’t so much as look at you without freezing up like a car is coming.” Susie had a stupid grin plastered on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess I’m just dumb, then. No surprise there, but it’s a pretty sweet ego boost.” She cracked up. “Hey, Kris. Bro to bro here, what about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris gritted his teeth, the wind blowing through the trees and bushes making him paranoid. “What about me? Are you asking if I like somebody right now? What’s your problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, so what if I am. I thought we were supposed to be quiet. Nothing else is going on right now, what’s the issue?” She shrugged. “So spill it, there’s gotta be someone you like.” Her elbow nudged his shoulder playfully, making him jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, fine. If it’ll make you stop talking about it.” Kris sighed. “But, I don’t really feel that way about anyone.” Susie frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit. You’re telling me you never had a thing for someone before?” She bent down closer to his face and smiled. “Come on, I won’t tell anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since when are you such a gossip. Why do you care?” He leaned his head back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel kinda bad since you told me and Ralsei you always felt like a third wheel. I’m not allowed to wanna see my friend happy?” She stood up straight and cracked her knuckles. “God I hope he is alright.” She let slip out of her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, man. I don’t think I’m capable of those kinds of feelings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kinda weak excuse is that? Even I’m capable of feeling that ooey gooey shit. Everybody can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not me. I’ve never felt like that before, I’m not lying. I’ve never really felt like I’ve loved anybody before, or like anybody really feels like that about me. I’ve only ever felt a real desire to be around you guys.” Kris kept his eyes forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, dude. That’s not the answer I was expecting.” They walked in silence for a moment. “But you know me and Ralsei think you’re really cool, right? I’m sure your mom does, she’s nice.” Kris still didn’t say anything. “I guess I get what you’re saying, though.” She reached over and patted his back, losing some of the meaning since he was wearing a bulky chestplate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Was all Kris replied with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? You didn’t do anything, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a really shitty time to be a downer. We could die.” The wind began to blow harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We got this, man, come on. We’ll ask this asshole some questions, and if we try anything we can just crush ‘em.” Kris felt a hand on his shoulder. “Please. For Ralsei.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris looked at her and simply nodded, brandishing his sword in one hand as a chill ran down their backs. Something was looking at them. They both looked around the forest in case something was trying to sneak up on them, but the menace oozed from right in front of them. The crunch of a twig breaking alerted them to the presence of their target, standing tall in front of them a mere hundred or so feet away. “Is that…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie gripped her axe tightly, putting it over her shoulder. The armored figure continued to step closer to them once they stopped, ignoring Susie’s taunts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, asshole! You got some shit to answer to!” She held her axe in front of her, hunching over with an evil grin on her face. Their dusty boots continued to get closer and closer, but stopped once they were in clear sight of each other. Kris shakily raised his sword and stared into the empty visor of their helmet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The forest was deathly quiet, even the wind having died down for fear of interrupting. At the edge of Kris and Susie’s world, The Knight stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The monster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The prince from the dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s grin turned into a ravenous frown, but the fire still stayed present in her eyes. “First question, freak.” Her voice cracked, and her mouth showed even more teeth as she brutally slammed her axe forward. “What the hell did you do to my Ralsei?” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Living Sin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kris held his breath in anticipation, standing on guard with his sword held tightly as the sound of thunder loomed over them. He felt as if things would explode into action at any second, waiting more on Susie than the Knight. She stood beside him at the ready, rumbling with a low growl of visceral rage. Neither of them could tell which of them the Knight was looking at, or if they were looking at them at all, but they both felt as if they were breathing down their very necks. Kris was springlocked so tightly that he jumped when Susie spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m talking to you! Dickbag in the armor, you hear me?!” She barked, her arms shaking from the sheer force of the grip on her axe. “What, you think we’re scared of you?!” Her lips pulled back to bare her teeth as the menacing suit of armor began to walk towards them, like they weren’t even there. Kris backed away as they got closer, feeling fear rise up in his stomach. Susie stood her ground, but was caught off guard when the Knight simply walked right past them. Kris looked at Susie with bewilderment, standing still as a statue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Hey, I’m talking to you! Don’t you walk away from…” She grabbed the Knight’s pauldron, only to be elbowed in the snout in less than an instant. She was left reeling from the blow, and the Knight had stopped walking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, get away from him!” Kris whisper yelled, hoping that the Knight had some sort of very selective hearing. She held her snout and winced, but the initial shock wore off and she was left with an even hotter fire inside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s how you wanna do it, huh? Not all of us have to hide behind a suit of armor like a little bitch!” The Knight turned around to face them, more specifically her. “I didn’t know Knights were supposed to take cheap shots.” She spat on the ground beside her, readying her axe once again. “MY TURN!” She roared and swung her axe forward with her whole body, feeling it smash into metal as she ran forward with an overhead swing. But the axe was stopped before it could find its mark, being stopped in the air by the Knight’s arm raising in instinctive defense. Even they seemed surprised at the full stop it brought the blade to, judging by the second it took for them to smack it away once stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris watched from the sidelines, feeling too anxious and afraid to really do anything. He had never been in a fight before, let alone this. His soul had done all the dirty work for him when they first went to the Dark Realm, and Kris was never one for direct conflict. But he suddenly felt the spotlight shift onto him as Susie yelled, having jumped back in retaliation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, do something for fucks sake! Talk to him or something if you’re gonna wimp out!” Her words were harsh, but Kris knew she was right. He couldn’t passive aggressive his way out of this situation, so he was left with one real option.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, hey! Knight guy…?” He took a cautious step forward, holding his shield up as he inched closer to the fray. The Knight didn’t seem to pay him any attention. “Why are you doing what you’re doing? It doesn’t have to go this way.” Kris managed to say, hardly at normal speaking volume. The Knight stopped and turned towards Kris, and he could have sworn he heard a quiet, giddy cackle. “Uh...I didn’t really catch that, your helmet makes it hard to hear you.” Kris tensed up and held his shield with both hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight’s metal boots clanked as they walked over to Kris, their presence making Kris’s rust to the ground out of fear. They were inches away from him, towering over the human like a brick wall. Heavy footsteps were running towards them from behind, with Susie charging in from behind with her axe raised. The Knight turned around and appeared to bend their leg, but Kris looked down and saw that it was actually disappearing into the ground. The boot rose up out of the ground in front of Susie, catching her foot and causing her to trip and fall. She hit the ground hard, and her axe tumbled across the grass from the speed she was running at. The Knight stood tall once again and cackled with laughter, leaving Kris alone with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie grumbled in confusion and pain at the hard fall she took, holding her chest as it was the main source of impact. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, and struggled to get up to her feet. In the blink of an eye, Kris was now being held in the air by the Knight, raising their other hand to lift the visor of their helmet. The inside was too dark to see any of the Knight’s face, but a pair of eyes seemingly broke through the shroud. Kris stared into them, and a look of mesmerization and horror splayed across his face. Gazing into the eyes of the Knight he could recognize himself within, as if he were looking in a mirror. As Susie caught her breath and went for her axe, the Knight whipped around and saw something flying at her in her peripheral. The yelling projectile whooshed past her narrowly as she managed to jump out of the way, turning behind her to see Kris ragdolling against the grass, rolling and tumbling from a harsh landing. The muffled cackle in response made Susie turn her attention back towards the armored hyena, feeling every breath they took shovel more coal into her fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bet you think you’re real funny, huh.” Susie felt heat in her cheeks for doing something so clumsy and stupid in such dire straits, but it made her see red when it melded with the rest of the fire filling her chest. “You got one annoying laugh, you know that?!” The Knight stopped laughing, amusing Susie. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings? Only insecure losers have to hide behind a mask to do bad shit! You’re pathetic!” She grinned and felt around for her axe, not wanting to take her eyes off them for a second. The Knight began to run at her, making Susie smirk as she knew she had already won. Not in the fight, however, as she was too big and too slow to dodge the kick to her stomach that had just been delivered to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NOT SO TOUGH NOW, ARE YOU?” The Knight screeched at her, rubbing her snout into the dirt with their knee on her back. “HUH, FREAK? HUH, FREAK?!” Susie couldn’t physically bring herself to say anything, trying to no avail to lift her head. “STAY DOWN.” The Knight commanded her and lifted their weight off her, leaving her face down in the grass. Kris was beginning to stir from the vicious tumbling he had just endured, and sat up from the ground to take inventory. He patted his sheathe, but his heart stopped when he realized there wasn’t the usual object to stop his hand. Kris began to look around frantically for his sword, but it didn’t take long for him to find it. “ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THIS?” The Knight held two swords, one in each hand from seemingly nowhere. Kris froze and began to quickly rise to his feet. “NO, NO, DON’T GET UP! I’LL BRING THEM RIGHT TO YOU.” The Knight giggled and put their foot back, pushing forward and beginning to twirl. They started off rather slowly, spinning gracefully on one foot, then none as they lifted off of the ground. Their hands were stuck out, pointing the two swords outward and forming what looked like a lopsided rotary blade as their rotations grew faster and faster. It became much too fast to keep up with, making a blur of metal and motion that headed directly towards Kris, filling him with panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whirling death was much too fast for him to hope to outrun, but Kris didn’t consider that and tried anyway. He ran off into the forest as fast as he could, hearing the crunch of falling branches and tree trunks behind him as the furious blades sliced through everything in their path. He took wild turns to try and desperately throw them off, feeling his fear reach a boiling point. As a last resort, Kris dove onto the ground and covered his head, tensing himself for the impending shredding he was about to undergo. The whirring of the swords through the air drew closer and closer, becoming almost deafening as he could feel the wind blow over his body. But just as quickly as it came it left, passing over him and continuing on through the woods. Kris peeked up and saw the twirling death machine charging around seemingly at random through the trees, bisecting anything that it happened to come in contact with. He held his breath and continued to watch it, realizing that at that speed, they most likely couldn’t actually see anything that was happening. Kris began to snake his way back to the path they were on, but the sound of crunching leaves under him alerted the Knight to his position, making them fly directly to his position. Kris went to cover his head and curl up into a ball when the blades simply glided over him, as he was down too low to be hit. He grabbed a nearby stick and threw it behind him, making the Knight turn and head towards the spot where it landed. Slowly but surely, Kris inched his way back towards Susie as he heard yelling behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU THINK YOU CAN OUTSMART ME?! I BET YOU THINK YOU’RE REALLY FUNNY, MESSING WITH ME LIKE THIS. WHEN I FIND YOU, I’LL…!” The sound of the blades in the air stopped, and the Knight’s voice broke into silence as Kris got up and made a run for it, breaking out into the clearing as thunder boomed in the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie was on her hands and knees, coughing and hacking up grass and dirt onto the ground. “Urgh. Oh, shit.” She lifted her head at the sight of Kris. “Kris, where did they go? Are you alright?” She shook her head around and used her axe to help herself up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They went into the woods, I don’t know…” Kris was panting, gesturing his hand towards the path of tree stumps and wood chips that had been created. “Are you okay? I-I don’t have any food to heal us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m fine. But be on your guard, alright? Really makes you wish Ral…” Susie stopped mid sentence and looked at the ground in fear, her head quickly panning up above Kris. “Kris!” She pointed behind him, but the cold metal against his neck alerted him to any danger that could be present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, now. Let’s all be civil, here.” A much quieter, calmer voice spoke behind Kris, but the source of the voice was still putting a sword to his neck. “Before you have another fit, Susie, let me talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let him go. Now.” Susie pointed her axe at the Knight. “I’m dead fucking serious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t swing an axe at your friend, would you? I’d hate for you to accidentally hit him…” Their hand went around and pulled Kris’s chest towards them like a shield. “I just have one request to make of you, and I’ll let him go.” Susie bared her teeth, but the pleading look that Kris gave her made her lower her weapon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, fine. What do you want.” She’d consider this groveling, but she had no other choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a good girl. My acquaintance seems to have lost your friend’s sword in the woods over there, would you mind fetching it for me?” The Knight tilted their head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Couldn’t you have just gotten it before you popped out of the ground and put a sword to Kris’s neck?!” Susie’s lip flared, but once again she was coaxed into cooperation by Kris’s sharp breaths as the blade was pushed ever so slightly harder against him. “...Fine. I’ll get the sword. But if I do, you have to tell me what I want to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So your friend’s life isn’t enough? Hm, I agree. Very well, if you bring it back I will tell you what you want to know.” The Knight’s face was covered, but the cold oozing from their smile could be felt by everyone in a hundred yard radius.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Wait, does that mean you won’t let me go?” Kris piped up, his eyes stinging with fear and betrayal at Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would seem so. I guess she just cares about Ralsei more than she cares about you.” The Knight stroked Kris’s head gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on a fucking second. That wasn’t the deal, first of all. Second of all, how do you know his name? Where is he?!” She clenched her fists around her axe so hard that Kris thought it was going to snap in two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh uh, you haven’t done your part of the bargain. I’ll tell you what. I’m feeling generous today, so if you bring back the sword, I’ll give you both. Sound fair?” The Knight’s head tilted again, patting Kris’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. But if you pull anything, I swear to god…” Susie huffed out her nostrils, but the only one scared by it was Kris. “Alright, I’m going. How am I supposed to know where it is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, just follow the mess and you’ll find it.” A giggle was heard from behind the faceless metal helmet, sending a chill down Kris’s spine. “What’s wrong, do you not have faith in your friend?” The cold metal gauntlet went down Kris’s face and caressed his cheek gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“U-Uh. I do, your hands are just c-cold. And, u-u-um, your sword is choking me a little…” The Knight nodded, but didn’t change anything they were doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Run along now, Susie. Don’t keep us waiting.” Their hand patted Kris’s cheek, making Susie more than eager to get it over with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back, Kris. I promise.” Susie said as she walked back towards the trees, looking over her shoulder at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, you don’t trust me?” The Knight called over to her, now hugging Kris tightly against them with their arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie turned back around and swore under her breath, growling and keeping her head low as she began her search. She found her mind wandering again, as it had since they got there. It was both reassuring and terrifying that they knew who Ralsei was, and she didn’t even want to think about why they wanted to tell her about him. “Maybe they read my mind or something...he’ll be at Lancer’s place when this is all over.” She tried to tell herself, but she knew she was lying. Her abdomen throbbed with pain, almost being enough to be a welcome distraction from her current train of thought. “This has to be a trick, right? There’s no way that it isn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight and their hostage stood quietly in the clearing, the former gazing up at the empty sky. “The weather is nice today, isn’t it?” They said to nobody in particular. Kris’s body ached all over, the pain in his chest making him wonder if he had actually broken something when the Knight threw him. “Isn’t it?” They now looked directly at Kris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He grunted out, not wanting to have to make them repeat themselves. “It is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice that you agree.” the Knight ran their hand through his hair. “Kris, can I tell you a little secret?” They didn’t wait for him to respond. “When Susie comes back, I’m going to kill her.” The words hung in the air before dissipating, and the Knight looked Kris in the face. They watched as if time had slowed, and closely observed every millimeter of Kris’s face twist and contort into an expression of shock. Then, it changed to pain and anger, before finally settling onto a soft helplessness and misery. The anguish shown across his face was their mana from heaven, greedily gulping it down into their soul like golden ambrosia. “What’s wrong?” They lifted his chin with the edge of their sword. “Tears…? Oh, it must be my birthday.” The Knight giggled and wiped the moisture off of Kris’s cheek, patting it once again. “Now, you know how secrets work, don’t you? You keep them secret, because I have trust in you. You wouldn’t want to break someone’s trust, would you?” Their mouth got closer and closer to his ear, with their voice becoming disgustingly soft. “Toriel raised you better than that, didn’t she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris still said nothing, holding his head in his hands as he began to shake. “What do you want?” He finally choked out. “Why are you doing this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight gently but firmly pulled his hands away from his face, allowing Kris to see the cold metal eyes staring back at him. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.” Their demeanor grew less soft, patting his head hard to the point it was more like a light smack. The crunching of twigs alerted them that Susie had returned, making the Knight return to looming over Kris. “Turn that frown upside down, Kris. You don’t want to make Susie sad, do you? It looks like she got it, but...oh, what’s this?” They didn’t even try to sound surprised when they saw that Susie had brought the sword with her, but the blade had been broken in half.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I did my part.” She tossed the broken sword onto the ground in front of them. “It was like that when I found it. Try not to bang it against trees next time.” She glared at them. “Well?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight rubbed their chin over their helmet and made an exaggerated hum of contemplation. “Well, you did as I asked, but...it seems that this will not do. But I’ll tell you what.” The knight took the sword out from Kris’s neck and let him go, making him step forward and rub his throat. “I’ll only give you one of the things you asked for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie gripped her axe tightly, staying hunched over slightly as Kris turned around to look at Susie. He was mouthing something to her, but she wasn;t paying attention. “Alright, sure. It’s not even your sword anyway!” Susie bared her teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good point.” The Knight raised their finger. “Now, to give you your reward.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s anger was fanned up by confusion. “What do you mean? I thought we only got one, huh?” She mocked</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, don’t worry, I am. Ralsei is dead.” The Knight lunged forward, and with one decisive strike their sword pierced straight through Kris’s chestplate, one through the back, and once again coming out of his chest.  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. We'll Meet Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Time stood still around the three combatants of the woods. On one side stood Susie, staring at Kris in absolute horror from the devastating blindside that she had just been inflicted with, her mouth open as if to provide a vent for everything she felt to escape before she burst. She had lost, and nothing mattered anymore. She watched Kris’s head jerk down to the blade extruding from his chest, and felt her face twist in pain as his hands went up to hold onto the metal of the sword. It was too much for her to take all at once, and her head swam trying to process everything that was going on. Her brain refused to comprehend any of this, and instead left her staring blankly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With an unceremonious kick, the Knight pushed Kris to the ground, pulling their sword out of him with the same respect as a gardener pulling up a weed. The helmet turned back up at Susie, and prepared to gorge themselves even more on the toxic sludge of negativity that oozed from her face. Her rage, her hatred, her hostility, they needed it desperately to quench the doubt that they felt deep in their soul. Luckily, however, the one at the helm wasn’t held back by their foolish connection to these Lightners. They may not have shown it, but they had caused the Knight quite a bit of trouble the way things had been going. Susie and Kris had caused division within the Knight’s soul, practically splitting it into two. One half was not truly in it, and thus their organization had been rendered fleeting. Their battle was never truly a daring fight to the death, but a lesson to that unruly part of the amalgamated soul, and some might say a challenge. How much hate could the imprisoned one inspire from one monster? How much would it take to convince him? His uncertainty of the whole situation had crippled them in their power, as the rot in his heart had been given a different name and separated from his own. He patted himself on the back as a pacifist, but there was no hiding his true feelings from his superior. The very existence of them showed otherwise. The Prince was nothing more than a spectator within the Knight, refusing to participate but watching not only without objection, but with a sick sense of satisfaction.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But these two had made things difficult. There was a riot going on within, but the Angel wasn’t going to let their Prince get cold feet now; it was much too late to go back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you see these two? People are nothing more than a sum of their actions, what have they done for you? Remember the manual you spent months working on just for them? Neither of them seemed to care when they threw it in the garbage to fit an extra piece of candy.” Angie said as the Knight lifted the paralyzed dragon by the collar of her jacket. “They make you do all the dirty work for them, don’t they? Healing them, making you talk down all their foes, throwing you around because it makes things convenient. You’re nothing but a convenience to them. So stop being a coward, and do something!” The Knight lifted their visor to make sure their audience could get a good look at Susie’s face, but what they saw was different than expected. Having anticipated a wild assault on their head, they instead got nothing to cull their hunger. There was nothing but sadness staring back at them, the stifled sniffles and sobs of a frightened child filling their ears and being echoed back from deep inside their soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lying. Shut up.” Susie kept her head down, feeling beaten and broken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was unexpected, but they could make it work. “Oh, I’m telling the truth. I cut him to bits from the legs up to make sure he died as slowly as possible. He called for you to come help him the entire time. At least, until he fainted from the pain. If you want to see him, I think I have a little bit of his dust on my boots.” The Knight looked at the bottom of their boot, as if checking to see if they stepped in a pile of dog poop. Susie just kept her head down and stayed quiet, being even more still than Kris was being. “Wait, what?!” The Knight turned their head at the corpse stirring in their peripheral. Kris had rolled onto his back and sat up, checking himself to see that he was completely fine. Susie was dropped to the floor, and the Knight’s eye twitched as they approached him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…?” Susie hit the ground on her rear, leaning back on her hands. She smiled to see Kris somehow wasn’t dead after being impaled through the chest with a sword, but held her breath as the Knight loomed over him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are you still alive?” Kris didn’t have an answer. “Tell me! Now!” The once calm voice of the Knight had begun to heat up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I don’t know! I thought you did it on purpose…” Kris scraped away backwards, but was easily pursued by the Knight, drawing their sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris!” Susie sprang to her feet, but she was too slow. The Knight brought their sword down on Kris with incredible force, like they were trying to slice him in half. His chestplate was completely cut in two, sliding off of his body so only his clothing underneath was left. But once again, the blade merely passed through him harmlessly, leaving all three of them in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the…? Hmph! No matter, I’d normally leave this sort of thing to my underlings, but you leave me no choice!” The Knight growled and raised their boot, making dust sprinkle onto Kris’s face. He was frozen in fear from watching a sword come out of his face, watching helplessly as the metal hovered over his throat. “Now, tell me your tricks before I kill you myself!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really don’t know, I swear!” Kris shook his head and put his hands up by their boot, the other pinning him to the ground by the leg. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” The Knight’s fists clenched with fury, when Susie suddenly ran into their side at full speed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“KRIS, RUN!” She yelled before plowing into the armored monster, not even making them budge a little bit. It was as if Susie had run full force into a streetlamp, but it had bought Kris a few seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight stopped and slowly turned towards Susie, now on the ground and holding her shoulder as her jaws clenched in pain. “Did you really expect that to work?” They took it as more of an insult to their intelligence than anything, making Angie lose their cool. “Enough of this!” Anger and humiliation burned in their heart, raising their foot and bringing it down upon Kris’s head as hard as they could with a powerful grunt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris cried out, but opened one eye to see that the boot was merely squishing his cheek a little, like someone laid a spatula gently onto his face. He looked up at the Knight, whose arms were visibly shaking in frustration. Their grip on control was loosened as they grew more wrathful and hotheaded. They had scoffed at Kris’s soul for giving up control out of embarrassment that nobody thought what he was doing was “cool” or “funny”, but Angie found herself in the same boat. The very same person she rolled her eyes at had outsmarted them, and beat them at their own game by tricking her into some sort of impotence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again and again the Knight’s leg was raised and brought down onto Kris, but he only felt as if someone was whapping at him with a pool noodle. It was just slightly annoying at worst. “Why. Won’t. You. DIE?!” The Knight yelled. Kris turned to look at Susie, but the pain on her face had no room to hold any other feelings on it. She ground her teeth together, trying to get up once again while holding her good arm. With even the slightest movement she felt a horrible grinding coming from under her flesh, her collarbone having broken around the point of impact. Kris saw the pain she was in and got an idea to try and buy her some time. He just hoped whatever was happening wasn’t a fluke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“K-Keep trying, you’re too weak to hurt me.” He stuttered out between face smushes. “I’d say pick on somebody your own size, but you can’t even beat someone as small as me.” The stomping stopped, but only so that the Knight could raise their sword high. Kris flinched as the blade was plunged down into his stomach, but there was still no wound or even any pain despite it going right through him. Then again. And again, and again, getting faster and caring less for aim as the Knight’s sword pierced him more and more. “Not even close…!” Kris was sweating from how scared he was, still finding that his leg was pinned underneath their other shoe. Whatever was protecting him from certain death must be very particular about what counts and what doesn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight dropped their sword to the ground, the thunder above them growing louder and louder. “You think you can trick me, do you?” They growled, raising their hands to the sky. “Try and get out of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris felt his hair frizz in the air, and watched Susie’s begin to do the same. He reached his hands up to feel what was going on on his head, but was greeted with a small static shock jumping to his finger. The wind picked up, rocking the trees back and forth and shaking the leaves from their branches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie held her axe in her good arm, letting the broken one dangle at her side uselessly. She stumbled and swung the axe, wielding it in her nondominant hand at the Knight. They were completely open for attack, and didn’t even bother stopping their concentration to block Susie’s attacks as they bounced off their armor harmlessly. The sky began to crackle, but Susie didn’t let up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, you need to leave! I’ll keep them distracted, just please go and warn the others!” Kris pleaded with her as she dropped her axe and began attacking them with her bare hand. She punched, kicked, and pulled at them uselessly, desperately trying to do any sort of damage whatsoever. “Susie, you promised!” Kris had to talk louder to combat the thunder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you told me not to pull any hero shit, but here you are now.” Her throat was dry, barely rasping above the booming clouds forming in the sky. “I’m not leaving you here. I’m not gonna leave you on your own ever again.” Susie finally stopped throwing futile punches, and sat down next to Kris. “I dunno what you’re doing to be invincible or whatever, but I think you got this.” She laid onto her back, exhausted and panting. Her arm shot pain through her as it was laid onto the ground, but as it faded out, Susie looked calm. She gazed up at the sky, and accepted her fate. “Don’t keep me and Ralsei waiting too long, Kris.” Susie grinned and shut her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Kris could ask her what she meant, the Knight broke their silence with a horrible scream. Not a second later they brought their arms down, and a torrent of lightning exploded from the sky around them. Deafening explosions surrounded the two Lightners, striking Kris’s location with unrelenting blasts of raw magical power. The sheer force was enough to blow Susie away, but the remnants of Kris’s armor made it center in on him even more. The Knight roared and raised their fists into the air before pulling their helmet off and screaming so loud it almost stood a chance against the endless pillars of lightning that crashed into the ground, bringing their hands together so that they focused in on the human. They laughed as the ground was blown to bits around them, until it began to form a collective crater around him. After a full minute of concentrated strikes, the Knight stopped. They had the power of a human soul, but they weren’t omnipotent, slouching and panting with exhaustion. The entire clearing was left smelling like smoke as fire leftover from the lightning spread through the leaves of trees and dry patches of grass. The hole around Kris was about 5 inches deep, but the sound of coughing made the Knight stop in their tracks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t possibly have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smoke cleared up to reveal Kris was sitting up in the hole, waving his hand in front of his face and coughing from all the smoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H...How…?” The Knight’s eye twitched behind their helmet. “That was every ounce of magical power I had, how could you…” A lightbulb went on in their head. “Magic. My sword, my spells, my form...it’s all made of magic.” They pointed at Kris with a smug grin, having found out his secret. “You don’t have a soul, so magic doesn’t have anywhere to hit you! Hah, you can’t outsmart me, I knew it!” They stood with their hands on their hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know I don’t have a soul?” Kris caught his breath and scrambled up out of the hole, no longer being pinned down. He was dirty, but he was once again unharmed. His silver armor had been reduced to shreds of burning metal from the brutal attack, sizzling in the wet ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm, I’m not sure if I should tell. Let’s just say it’s a secret.” The Knight shrugged. “But where’s…” They lifted their visor and scanned the battlefield, spotting the smoking heap that was Susie laying in the grass. “No dust? I’m surprised. Maybe even a little impressed.” They laughed, starting to walk over towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Kris ran in front of them. “I won’t let you go anywhere near her.” He stared up at the towering demon before him, making them halt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah? What are you going to do to stop me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you?” Kris glared at them, putting his noodly arms up. “Fight me, unless you’re scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight laughed. “You’re going to play the hero, are you? Well, guess what? I’m not letting you. In fact…” They turned their heads and began to walk in the opposite direction of Kris. He stood his ground, but it looked like they were searching for something else. “Ah, here we go.” They bent over and picked up Kris’s broken sword, dropping their own to the ground. They looked over their shoulder, and Kris felt a pair of eyes cut straight through him. “Is it true that humans aren’t able to use magic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The question made Kris’s legs wobble as he cursed himself for even bringing his knife, not even having a reason to do so in the first place. “I’m not afraid of you.” He stood his ground in the middle of the forest clearing, knowing that this was it. But nevertheless, he stood. “If you weren’t a coward, you’d fight me like a man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight flipped the sword in their hands, giving it a few test swings at the air. Their energy had recovered considerably in the short walk, filling the Knight with confidence. “Hm, I didn’t think part of me would be so excited to kill a human. Especially not that part.” They thought as they looked into the reflection of the blade and rubbed its edges. “It’s not even real metal, it’s plastic.” The Knight scoffed and looked up to menace Kris some more, but saw that he had changed positions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, can you hear me?” He knelt by her body, rapidly checking to see if the Knight was coming. “If you can, just please stay down. I really mean it this time…” He looked into her half open eye, and saw it looking back at him. “Please, Susie. Just...I-I don’t know.” He wanted to tell her that things would turn out alright, but Kris knew she wasn’t dumb enough to believe that based on how they had faired so far. They looked at each other, but the sound of footsteps crushing the grass behind him told him that time was up. Kris reached out and touched Susie one final time, taking his gauntlets off and patting her hair. It was the only place that Kris knew wouldn’t hurt her if he felt it. He took a deep breath, and stood up to face the reaper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough of this tired Passion Play. I still have enough power to crush you both, and there will be no issues past that. This has all been a waste of time” The Knight brandished the broken sword in their hand, looking down at Kris. “No more games.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris wasn’t even half the height of the beast that stood before him, but he still felt as if he was staring them down on equal footing. “If you’re trying to get me to give up, then…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope. I’m just going to kill you now. But don’t worry, you and her will be together again very soon!” They raised the sword, ready to strike, but they didn’t. They froze there in the swinging stance as Kris held his arms up in instinctive defense, ready to try and block the attack like it would make any difference.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said a word, locked in a standoff that made one-sided and understatement. Kris had been rendered toothless and scaleless, but he knew he was the last hope that Susie had. For that reason alone, he felt no fear. Kris may have been staring at a god, but they were staring at the only real knight there. He may have been terrified and helpless, but that’s the only time where having courage really means anything.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It reached a hand out to him and called his name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With one last valiant cry he ran towards the Knight, throwing himself at them with a leap. He clung to them and pounded his fist onto their helmet, hurting his hand more than the armor. The Knight stood still and took the beating for a moment, before Kris felt a hand on his shoulder. Then another. He was pulled off of the metal giant and put onto the ground gently, seeing that it was the Knight who put him there. The broken sword laid beside him, and Kris quickly scrambled to grab it as they walked past him over to Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, we’re not done yet!” Kris yelled, running over and flailing the blade at the Knight desperately. He slashed, jabbed, and butted at the armor with the hilt of his sword, but nothing could even leave a scratch on the impenetrable magic metal. “Stop it! Get away from her!” He screamed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knight ignored him, crouching beside Susie’s body. They lifted a hand, and Kris swiped at them even faster. Susie’s body flashed yellow for a second, and when it returned to normal she had been completely healed. She stared up at the helmet looking over her in silence, Kris finally having stopped attacking. She shifted her arm around to find it was no longer broken, and rubbed it with her hand. After a few seconds the Knight stood back up, still having his eyes on Susie. Her eyes began to widen with anticipation, going on guard for what they could be planning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the Knight just turned and walked away, heading down the path towards the Card Castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, wait!” Kris began to run after them, but he was stopped by Susie grabbing hold of his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, hold on.” She interjected quietly. “Can we please just have a second. It’s not like us going after them is going to do anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris turned and faced her, seeing the sadness across her face. “Alright.” He sat down beside her, and listened to the sound of leaves crackle and smoulder. His heart was beating so hard that he thought it might be visible through his skin, putting his hand up to feel his chest. Susie was dead silent, and he could tell she was probably trying not to think about the elephant in the room as much as he was. The sounds of birds returned as the commotion settled, the lightning and fire having scared them off before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the adrenaline wearing off, Susie could feel her eyes begin to well up, and her brain starting to catch up with what Ralsei being gone actually meant. She’d never see his face, or hear his voice, or…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie pounded her fist on the ground and got up. “Come on, Kris. We’re going.” She began to walk, leaving her thoughts and feelings in the dust behind her. Kris got up and jogged to catch up, still feeling winded from the encounter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Kris?” Susie said softly, keeping her face straight forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” He glanced over at her, but quickly looked forward again when he saw the tears on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any pictures of him?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. The Man Who Sold The World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Rejoice, men! The murderer has been captured!” The Royal Guard captain raised his sword high into the air as the guards and Rudiins at the blockade all roared in cheer. They mimicked their commander and held their blades up towards the sky, the chorus of excitement and pride being ceased instantly by a wave of the captain’s hand. “And there are our saviors, the heroes of light return!” He pointed at the distant Kris and Susie, coming into view from out of the forest path. The squadron once again erupted into cheers and yells, pumping their fists and daggers into the air. “Alert King Lancer of the good news at once!” A small group of guards saluted and squirmed off towards the castle gate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie stopped walking when she saw the commotion up ahead, keeping her head lowered. “You can go on ahead, Kris. I’m gonna go walk a little.” She already turned around and began to head in the opposite direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris looked over his shoulder at his partner, his sullen expression being disguised as neutral by his hair. “Walk? Where are you going?” He turned to meet her back to him, the chipped and scratched up axe slung over it looking less tired than she was. “Don’t you need to get home soon? What time is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None of his questions were answered, but Kris didn’t bother to ask her again. He wasn’t going to bother her about it, especially not after what had just happened. He watched her walk away until a corner had torn her from his field of view, and went back to walking towards the castle. Kris waded through the crowd like he was in a swamp of noxious praise, excusing himself and slipping through gaps of people until he reached the end. “I need to get through, the Knight is coming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Knight? You mean that big scary guy in the armor? He came and turned himself in right before you showed up.” A Rudiin said, snapping Kris out of his malaise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, he did? He could be lying, where is he?” Kris began to panic once again, feeling tight in his chest even without his armor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He practically locked himself up in jail. Oh! That reminds me, the guys in the castle have something he wanted us to give you. Make sure to get that before you go.” The Rudiin scratched their head with the side of their weapon before going back to being a part of the choir of cheers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris thanked him and continued his way up the path to the open gate, heading inside. A guard pacing back and forth right inside the castle spotted Kris, and slithered over to him with something in his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pardon me, Lightner, but I was told to give this to you.” He extended his hand out to Kris, in it was another glass jar with a faint red glow emanating from it. Kris’s stomach did a backflip as he robotically reached out and took it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” He stared down at the jar, and felt himself stare right back up at him. Kris held the jar close for fear of somebody seeing it for whatever reason, quickly making his way towards the elevator. He had some questions to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The floor of the dungeon was cold and wet, the only sounds being echoey drips into puddles in neighboring cells and the occasional cough from the cell next to him. The tall, proud Knight had just recently vanished, in their place being left a sniveling whelp wrapped in a cloak. The moisture of the ground seeped into the cloth of his concealing garb as he laid on the floor, curled up in the corner of the room and spending some quality time with the moss on the walls. The rumbling of the elevator made him bring his knees closer to his chest and put his arms over his head, wishing that he could simply be left alone in his cell for eternity. He didn’t want to talk to anybody he could avoid, and the two Lightners were at the very top of his list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you ruined our plan just like that. You know they are probably never coming back now, right? If they didn’t hate you before, they do now.” The taker of the third spot on the list spoke up, having said it a dozen times since he spared his two ex-teammates and turned himself in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care anymore, I just don’t want to hurt anybody else.” He sniffled, finally giving the voice a reply. After that, however, he got a reply from a different voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Silence! It is enough to have to listen to your pathetic weeping, I am already quite tired of listening to it, let alone you talking to yourself. Show the slightest dignity, will you?” The deep voice on the other side of the cell wall ordered, giving a guttural groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh…? Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you could hear me.” The voice sounded familiar, but the cloaked prisoner wanted more than anything to never hear another voice directed towards him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bah! What is your name, boy? Speak up, don’t you know who you’re talking to?!” The sound of creaking was heard behind the wall, like something large being lifted from a seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t…” He spoke up, wincing at the own volume of his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hefty sigh came through the wall. “I suppose it matters not anymore. But I’d like to know your name, you cringing pus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” He thought about that question, and it made his head ache with pain. “I don’t know. I don’t know who I am anymore.” He covered his eyes with his hands, the end of his sentence breaking off along with his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cease this drama, you rotting plum. Why are you in this prison? I saw them bring you in, but I never would have guessed that behind that armor was nothing but a sobbing infant. I’ve had everything taken from me; my land, my home, my people, all by my good for nothing idiot of a son.” The disdain in his voice flared up. “But do you hear me complaining? That isn’t a rhetorical question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” The cloaked boy sat up at attention. “Are you the king? Er...were you the king?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause from his cell neighbor, his heavy breaths being audible from the other side of the wall between them. “I was, yes. But apparently my people did not think of me as a good ruler. Those fools, they’ve all doomed themselves. My son is no king, and certainly no Knight’s Peon. We will be trapped down here forever, I tell you.” The spade sighed. “I have forgotten what the sun feels like since long ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sun? I can try to remind you, if you’d like.” The cloak timidly put his hands in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You? You are but a boy, much too young to remember the sun. I remember all those years ago, when they led us to our prison of darkness...and I remember when my people led me to a prison within that prison.” He laughed, almost shaking the whole cell with it. “This is how they repay me, I suppose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I really have seen it. It’s warm, but not like any kind of warm. Um, it hurts to look at, and it makes the sky blue. I assume that’s why it’s blue up there, at least.” He tried to recall as best he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The spade was left in silence, responding with a lowered voice. “How is that possible. If you’ve truly seen the sun, then you must be much older than I thought. Either that, or...you’re a Lightner, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Listen, lightbringer. It doesn’t matter to me what you are anymore. I’ve learned that anybody can be treacherous slime, regardless of whether they are light or dark. Wait a moment, I know your voice. You’re that odd prince who lives by the fountain, aren’t you? The one who came with the Lightners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-No, I never said I was with them.” He lied, but the shoddiness of his fib made it easy to demolish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember when I was your age. Back then, Darkners and Lightners were still living as one, albeit not for very much longer. When we were cast into this dark place, my mother and father had tried to resist. They fought the Lightners and tried to rally rebellion, but they ultimately failed. The Lightners had easily crushed the revolt, and I never saw them again. I swore vengeance on the Lightners ever since, and brought my people to this land. We led them, me and a woman who would later become my wife, and together we built this entire kingdom.” The spade rambled on, making even him wonder why he was confiding in a faceless stranger. “Her love taught me forgiveness for the Lightners, and we all had hope for the future.” He paused again. “But when we were expecting our son, Lancer,” The voice from behind the wall grew more pained as it continued. “She didn’t survive childbirth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodness, I’m so sorry for your loss.” The cloak stared straight at the wall like he was talking to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It taught me a lesson, much like the time I have spent in this cell has. I’ve lived my life selfishly, lusting for power and greatness all the way. But without that power, as I stand now, I am nothing. Nothing but a reminder of a tyrant gone mad.” The distant sound of the elevator door opening dinged through the quiet dungeon. “I now realize that when there is no one left around you, it doesn’t matter how much power you have. I implore you, young one; do not follow my path.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of hard metal on the stone floor echoed throughout the chambers, making the cloak’s hood lift with a curious ear. He went back to his corner without a response, leaving the old spade to return back to his thoughts alone. The footsteps grew louder, making the cloak anxious to hide himself as much as he could. They stopped right outside his door, making him hold his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this the right cell?” Kris asked the jail warden beside him, who gave him a nod of reassurance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He changed his appearance when we locked him in there, and he gave us that thing you’re holding there.” The warden said before slithering off, having been requested to leave the two alone for a little while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris stood and stared at the huddled mass in the corner of the cell, trying to find the words to speak to the monster. “Hey. I see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cloak shifted around in the corner, trying to pretend that Kris wasn’t there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s you. I just want to ask you something. Then I’ll leave.” The human’s voice was heavy with seriousness. “Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cloak stayed facing towards the wall, but cleared his throat. “Um...what is it?” He tried to lower his voice to an unrecognizable volume.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or, I guess two questions. You used this soul to get so powerful, right?” He saw the faint reflection of eyes turning to look over at him in the dim room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The head inside the hood nodded. “Y...Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris bit down hard, forcing his mouth to stay straight. “What you said about Ralsei.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cloak froze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you do what you said to him to get it?” Kris’s hands were shaking, gripping the jar so tight that it may have broken if he wasn’t so scrawny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hurt so much for him to watch, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell him anything. How would he explain it? Would they even want him to?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Answer me.” Kris’s voice had never sounded so angry to him before, even when they had fought as the Knight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” He tried to get out the shortest answer possible, feeling his breath escape him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Kris’s face struggled into a pained frown. “He was my friend, you piece of shit. My other friend loved him, and I want to know if it’s my fault. Give me a fucking answer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t take it anymore, nearly pulling his own ears off. The cloak was shaking up to his feet, still not giving me an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this? Get the fuck away from me.” He took a step back from the bars as the cloaked figure walked up to the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, I…” He let his voice speak freely, entering Kris’s ears and banishing the anger from his face. His hands hesitated on the brim of his hood, but they were pushed back as Kris opened his mouth to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris moved his hair aside to make sure he was actually seeing the round white face and floppy ears of his dead friend, his face a mix of shock, relief, and fear. The deepest part of Kris’s heart thought it could be another trick by the Knight, but he so desperately hoped it wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei?” Kris whispered, walking back towards the bars of the cell. “Is this real?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei nodded, his lip quivering. “Kris, I’m so, so sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry? Why are you sorry?” Kris grabbed the bars. “Why are you here? Was that guy in the armor…” He watched the shame on Ralsei’s face increase with every question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I...I’m sorry…” Ralsei put his hood back up as Kris stepped away from the bars, looking to think. He turned towards the hall and began to leave, making Ralsei’s heart sink into his stomach. But just as he was about to go back to his corner, Kris came back with the warden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need you to lock this up somewhere, and never ever let it out. Understand?” Ralsei turned around to see Kris handing the warden the jarred soul. “It’s the reason that knight was so strong, and it was the one in control.” Ralsei felt his heart lift back up, but the weight was heavy from the fact that what Kris was saying wasn’t entirely true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see. Thank you again, Lightner! Our kingdom owes a great debt to you and your friend.” The door to the cell was opened, and Kris walked inside. Ralsei backed away from him, raising his hands in defense with his hood still hiding the fear on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Ralsei, relax. I’m not gonna hurt you.” Kris kept moving towards him, but Ralsei was all out of cell to back up against. “I thought you were dead, dude. Come here.” Suddenly, he snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you and Susie go?” Ralsei asked with a tremble in his voice, lowering his hands to the wall behind him. “Did I do something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Kris stopped getting closer to him, tilting his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys were gone for so long. I thought you weren’t ever coming back. Did you ever really like me?” Ralsei let it all flow out of him, finding himself just speaking without thinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris didn’t answer at first, his happy look being altered into something unrecognizable. “Ralsei...do you think me and Susie don’t actually like you? Of course we do, why wouldn’t we? Speaking of which, we need to go find Susie.” Kris hastily reached out to Ralsei’s wrist to pull him along, but the goat flinched away at first. Ralsei saw the concern in Kris’s eyes as his mouth curled into a smile, a rare sight from Kris when it wasn’t caused by smugness or mischief. If what Kris was saying was true, then he had more important things to do than mope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, Kris. Wait, she isn’t with you?” Ralsei stepped towards Kris and followed him out of the cell, being led towards the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, she said she was going to go on a walk after...what happened.” Ralsei looked incredibly uncomfortable at the mention of it, and Kris did as well to a lesser extent. The elevator doors closed behind them as they entered the elevator once more, and the ascent began at the touch of a button. The two were left in silence, until Kris’s head turned. “Uh, Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Kris?” Ralsei didn’t turn his head all the way, looking at Kris from the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t answer me before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Ralsei knew what he was talking about, but tried to buy himself a few seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think me and Susie don’t like you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei hesitated, carefully weighing the options in his head and receiving unrequested guidance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He won’t believe you, don’t make excuses.” Angie told him, clawing at his brain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris, can I tell you a secret?” Ralsei looked down at the floor, holding his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. What is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei swallowed and cleared his throat, watching the doors of the elevator for a moment. “Sometimes, I hear a voice talk to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A voice? What do you mean?” Kris furrowed his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not entirely sure. It’s in my head, and nobody else can hear it. They...aren’t very nice, to put it kindly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt a hand on his shoulder, and Kris sat them on the ground. “What kind of stuff do they tell you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s cheeks pinkened under his hood, as if his problem was something to be embarrassed about. “They tease me, mostly.” He rubbed his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tease you how?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei paused. “They tell me very mean things, and they say that you and Susie don’t actually like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Ralsei’s heart waited for Kris’s response to decide whether or not it would keep ticking. “I think I’d know better, and I can say that we both really do like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They convinced me to do something really dumb, and then I couldn’t do anything to stop it…” Ralsei stayed staring at the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kinds of things?” He rubbed Ralsei’s back, but only for a few seconds because of the state of his cloak after rolling around in the dungeon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...there’s a lot to explain, okay? I can tell you everything later, but right now I just want to make sure Susie is okay.” He turned to Kris and sighed. “Do you think she’ll hate me, Kris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was taken aback slightly by Ralsei asking such a sharp question. “Susie? I doubt it. She probably likes you more than anyone.” He tried his best to give him a reassuring smile. “She’ll be so happy to see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator dinged as the doors opened to the first floor of the castle. Kris and Ralsei got up to their feet and headed for the gate once again, awkwardly ignoring all of the celebration going on around them. Ralsei was dreading having to tell them the truth from the bottom of his heart, but he knew that at the very least he would get a reunion with Susie before that, and it was enough to make him smile a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still had to make those cakes, too.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Her and I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sparks showered onto the ground as the brick wall outside the old empty town was struck again and again by the metal axe, bits and pieces of the ancient masonry beginning to chip off and crumble to the floor with every swing. Their aggressor was a snarling teenager, heartlessly assaulting the poor structure. The audience of two dummies watched the carnage, helpless to stop the rampaging dragon. The dummy in green and pink had taunted her with its smile as she walked by, setting her off on a spree of violence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You...stupid...mother...fucker…!” Susie grunted, smashing her axe into the wall repeatedly. She stopped for a moment, panting and wiping her forehead of sweat. A pile of dust and debris had formed beneath where she had begun attacking the wall, and the bluish black of it stained the head of her axe. She pushed it away in her mind and denied it, but deep down she had already accepted it as the truth. Her head turned to look over her shoulder, catching sight of the dummy once again. It made the fire in her chest stoke even higher, burning her even worse as the axe in her hand clanged onto the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had a few holes poked into it by something, but it was all she had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned around and tensed her shoulders, taking iron steps towards the dummy. Her ribcage vibrated inside her as she shivered, getting right up in front of it. Susie was frozen, only being able to stare at the lifeless piece of fabric that stood up before her until she shakily raised her hand and lifted the hat off of the dummy. Just as she expected, the dummy’s face stayed black. She sighed and put the hat back on, scolding herself for thinking it would even work like that. Her bloodshot eyes looked around to make sure nobody was around to see her next plan of action with the dummy, but her ears alerted her first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe she just went home. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” A distant voice said. How distant she couldn’t tell, but her nose told her it was Kris by the distinct smell of apples.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate the reassurance, Kris, but I feel guilty for accepting it despite it being questionable if I really even deserve it.” Susie furrowed her brow, trying to listen in and recognize the other voice. “I also feel that you may not be so quick to give it to me if you’d let me explain what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Can you take that hood off, it makes it hard to hear you when you trail off like that.” Susie’s heart jumped into her throat as the pair of voices got closer. She wanted to peek around the corner to look, but what would they think? It’s not like she could sneak it, her snout would poke out long before her eyes could make it. Petrified with indecision, she elected to simply stand against the wall and hope they walk by her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just hope we find her soon, I’m sure you’re both wanting to go home already.” The two voices passed by her, and what she saw made her as still as the dummies she was standing next to. They didn’t notice her, neither the human or uncloaked goat paying her any attention as they walked past the alcove and on to the town entrance. What was she supposed to say?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Us? You look like shit, dude. Did you sleep at all last night?” The two were unaware they were being followed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last night…? Um, what day is it? It’s hard to tell here sometimes. I know I went to sleep on...Wednesday?” Ralsei rubbed his eyes. “This cloak smells a bit ripe.” He pulled the sleeve away with a scrunched up nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kris…?” A hoarse voice said behind them, making Ralsei jump. Kris turned around and put his hands on his hips, being the only one not too stunned to say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finally, there you are. Where were you? We looked everywhere for you.” He put his hand on Ralsei’s back to prevent him from backing away in fear when their draconian stalker began to advance toward them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei and Susie’s eyes met, but she wasn’t as happy with what she saw. “Hey, where are you going…? Are you not happy to see me?” She stopped, all the hope and relief in her heart beginning to sway with instability.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei looked back and forth at his two friends, and pulled his ears down. “I can’t take this anymore!” His lips quivered and pulled back to show his comparatively little fangs as he used his ears to cover his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Can’t take what anymore?” Kris took his hand away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of this! I don’t deserve this, or either of you…” He sniffled, and Susie cut in perhaps too harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what are you getting all upset for? I’m just happy you’re alright.” She put her hands behind her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t be.” Ralsei muttered as Susie kept a frown on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, don’t say that. Let’s get inside before that knight guy shows up again.” Kris shook his head, making Susie look over towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve been dealt with. My soul possessed Ralsei and…” Kris’s flat speech was interrupted by Ralsei’s scarf flowing out of the cloak and wrapping around his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Ralsei said, lowering his hands. “I’d rather tell the truth and have you both hate me than lie to you.” Susie leaned her head back with concern and bewilderment at what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The truth? We could never hate you, man. What’s going on?” Kris pulled the scarf off his mouth, being let go by Ralsei at the slightest resistance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, seriously. Why are you simultaneously bringing it up all the time but also refusing to tell us?” Kris rubbed his face in annoyance, feeling his patience run thin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just didn’t want to have to repeat myself.” Ralsei shrunk back, keeping his eyes away from them. He sighed, and with some hesitation he began to speak. “I’ve spent my whole life running away. From people, from my problems...I would always just hide from them. So when you guys left, part of me convinced myself that you weren’t ever going to come back. I tried to do what I always did when I didn’t want to face reality, and hide in a story. It’s all just been stories.” He shut his eyes. “I thought I could escape how lonely and betrayed I felt by pretending to be someone else. It’s um...I really don’t know how to tell you this.” His cheeks were hot with embarrassment, knowing he was about to break his own unspoken promise with himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can say whatever you need to.” Susie fiddled with her hands and fingers behind her back, fearing Kris’s judgement of vulnerability.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I’m getting a bit off track here, b-but I also feel bad for lying to you about, well, everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris and Susie waited for more elaboration, but it never came out. “Everything? What do you mean?” Kris said, recognizing they were going to have to pull it out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…” He felt his palms begin to sweat. “I’m not a prince, o-or even a Darkner, really…” He squeaked out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what? How’d you get here, then?” Susie butt in once again. “Man, we don’t care about all that.” Her foot bounced anxiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t just that, Susie. This castle isn’t my home, and the legend…” Kris patted his back. “It was all fake. It was just a game I dragged you all into because of my own loneliness. The fountains, the Knight, it’s all just nonsense I clung to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie narrowed her eyes. “What are you saying, Ralsei?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you told me the Angel and the Knight were all just fakes, I knew. I just didn’t want to know. I thought that if I tried hard enough, I could make it real myself.” He took a step away from them both. “I could make the world more than it really was for myself, because I didn’t like the one I lived in. That’s how I became who I am, and it’s also how I became...that.” He sighed. “I was the Knight, the one who attacked you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris quickly got between him and Susie in fear of something hasty occurring, holding his hands up. “Let him explain before you do anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do anything. What did you think I was gonna do?” Susie stared blankly at Kris. “Get outta the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahem.” Ralsei continued. “One night, I was visited by a ghost. They spoke to me in my mind, and I believe they’re still in there now. I was very upset, and angry, and stupid...and they encouraged me to do something about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A ghost?” Susie said, while Kris merely looked at him with a tilted head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Their name is Angie, and they read my mind to know all my thoughts, feelings, memories...they made me realize that it was all unjust, in perhaps the worst way possible. I wanted to be strong, and hurt the world like it hurt me, so I did something really dumb. I absorbed Kris’s soul, and I intended to use it to hurt people.” He wiped his nose. “But when I did, I realized that I was hardly in control at all. The thing I hate myself the most for is that it wasn’t until we found you guys that I tried to stop them.” He struggled against the urge to hide himself in shame. “I felt so strong, it felt nice to not be so weak. But then when they started actually hurting people, it felt less good.” He felt a large hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ralsei…” Susie was standing before him, gently rubbing his shoulder. The name she spoke made the moment she was attempting to have with him drip with deceit and ugliness, so he nipped it in the bud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, about that…” He looked up at her with a lowered head, managing a tiny smile of nervousness. “That’s not...actually my name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris leaned his head sideways in surprise, while Susie was taken aback by shock per usual, jerking back with her shoulders raised. “Huh?! What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, what?” Kris added with less volume.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is very embarrassing, but when I was younger it was the name of my favorite storybook character, and I wanted to be like them…” He forced a cough. “Nobody here knew who I was, so I decided to tell people it was my name. It got a little out of hand, but...I promise I won’t lie, or run away from my problems ever again.” His ears drooped to his shoulders, starting to realize his friends weren’t going to hurt him which allowed him to lower his guard somewhat. “But I feel like I can hardly live with myself at this point.” The hand returned to his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what is it then?” Susie added her other hand to his shoulder, and Kris shuffled closer to the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your name.” Kris grinned. “Feels kinda weird to call you that now if you have an actual name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, um, i-it’s Immanuel.” He felt both their spotlights shining on him, but it was a warm light. “You guys aren’t mad about what I did…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone does dumb stuff sometimes. Plus, it was my soul. Not to say what you did was alright, but…” Kris shrugged, and Susie rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What Kris is trying to say is that we forgive you, Immanuel.” She smiled, but had a look of tasting something sour in her mouth. “Huh, feels kinda weird, but I’ll probably get used to it.” Her hands moved down his arms, stopping at his hands. “Can I still call you Ralsei as a nickname? I think it’s a pretty cool name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, if you wanted to, I don’t mind.” He held her hands lightly in his, meeting her eyes with tears welling up in his. “I really don’t deserve you.” Ralsei felt his hands be let go, only for his back to be pulled into Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, none of that kinda talk.” She held him tightly, but was careful not to snap his spine in half. “Let’s go inside, you smell like ass, dude.” She laughed harder than she had any right to, laughing and laughing until tears came. Like a wave of relief washing over her face the tears trickled down, and Kris couldn’t help but chuckle halfheartedly with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, are you guys alright?” Ralsei wormed his head out of Susie’s jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Just happy to have you back, man. But I was being serious, you smell really bad. Why are your clothes so wet?” She let him go, allowing Ralsei to look down and inspect his cloak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was laying on the floor at Card Castle.” Kris blurted out unceremoniously. “Go get some sleep, Ralsei. I’d hug you and all that shit, but uh...I don’t wanna get a rash or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, are you seriously gonna act too cool for hugs after all the shit we’ve been through?” Susie crossed her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I’m doing, shut up.” Kris crossed his arms back at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand, Kris. But don’t worry, we can still hug if you want to.” Ralsei let the cloak fall to his feet, pulling his arms out of his sleeves to reveal his usual outfit, minus the hat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kris squinted and sighed, feeling like he was caught red handed. “Sure.” He held his arms out and wrapped Ralsei up in them, being returned in the hold by a pair of fluffy, noodly arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have the nicest friends in the world.” Ralsei choked up, squeezing Kris tighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna start being mean so you don’t cry, you dork.” Susie rubbed Ralsei’s back, picking him up as the hug between the two ended. “Now let’s go, I’m already grounded back home.” She began to walk towards the castle, carrying Ralsei on her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are? Is that why you haven’t come to visit, or…?” Ralsei felt rude to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. My grades at school are in the shitter, so I haven’t been able to come see. Kris’s dweebass older brother is visiting too, so he can’t come either.” Susie bounced him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I probably shouldn’t be here anyway, I think I’m sick. Last night some shit happened and I ended up in the hospital.” Kris walked next to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The hospital? Goodness, are you alright?” Ralsei leaned over to look at Kris with eyes full of worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably. If I’m not, I will be eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Kris is right. We’re still unstoppable as a team, even in the face of some horrible disease.” She smiled toothily, warranting a rather parental look from Ralsei. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they went inside, Susie put Ralsei down and stretched her arm out. “I think I actually have to go now, as bad of timing as this is.” Kris hung out by the door, pointing towards the way to the fountain. “So, uh, see you tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow? I thought your brother was in town.” Ralsei dusted off his robe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s only here for a couple more days, and I can probably get my mom to let me come, so I might be able to come tomorrow. If not then, then the day after that for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei smiled brightly. “I’d love to have you, Kris. Anytime.” He waved him off and they exchanged goodbyes, catching a faint reciprocation from Kris’s face as he left. Susie and Ralsei were left on their own, looking to each other in silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should probably get going soon, too. I’d love to stay, but uh...I don’t wanna get in even worse trouble.” Susie rubbed the back of her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei nodded with understanding, getting up on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around her shoulders. “You don’t have to worry about me, Susie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She exhaled through her snout and put her arms down around his hips, lifting him with her arms as his seat. “I know, man, but I can’t help but worry about you when you’re left down here by yourself all the time. You said you get lonely, and whatever you said about that ghost or whatever makes me think you’ve been alone for too long.” Her eyelids suddenly lifted, an idea coming into her head and a smile going across her jaws. “Hey, I think I have an idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei had his head leaned down onto her shoulder, still holding on around her neck. “Hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s kinda a big idea, but if you were open to it, maybe you could move out of this place. Y’know, like come to our world. I’m not sure how much you’d be able to do without any legal papers or whatever, but yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s robe danced as his tail waggled quickly behind him. “I’d love that, Susie. But where would I stay?” He was carried over to the couch, still being held as Susie sat down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dunno, probably somewhere. Kris’s mom has been able to pay for a human and a goat for 16 years, so maybe you could stay with Kris. She’s a nice lady, so maybe if we explain her your situation...with a few changes, maybe, she’ll understand. I don’t know, I’m just kinda spitting out ideas. Speaking of which, uh...what exactly is your situation?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei opened one eye to look up at her. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, how did you get here? Where are your parents? There’s a lot I don’t really know about you.” She rubbed the top of his head with her lower jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei’s hold loosened on her, and a small sigh was heard beneath Susie’s chin. “My mother was a Lightner who ran away to get married to a Darkner, and we used to live together on a small farm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie’s hand paused it’s rubbing on his back. “Wait. Is that what those books you have are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ralsei audibly gasped, almost choking on his own air. “W-What books…? Where did you find them?” He picked his head up and looked her in the face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ones in some random room, I don’t know. Did you write those? You don’t gotta be embarrassed, man.” She gently pushed his head back down to her shoulder. “It’s all alright, Ralsei. I mean, Immanuel. Shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I did. How much did you read?” Ralsei let his head be put back to rest, shutting his eyes at risk of seeing her’s in this moment of humiliation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough for you to not have to say another word.” Her hand softly rubbed the back of his head, petting his soft hair to match it. “I’d do anything for you, man. Nothing you can do to stop me from wanting to, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Ralsei said in defeat, letting himself be overtaken by her gentle care. “I’m exhausted.” He said with a yawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show me to your bedroom, then. I’m not letting go of you until I have to.” She stood up with a tooth filled grin, and Ralsei directed her to a seemingly unremarkable room in one of the many hallways. Inside was a large bed with a regal frame, even having a bed curtain around it. “Woah. That’s your bed?” The room was larger than Susie’s entire upstairs area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s it.” He sighed as Susie carried him over to the mattress, leaning forward and pulling him off her shoulders onto the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This bed is huge, dude. What do you usually sleep in?” Susie sat on the bed next to him as he wriggled under the blankets, removing his scarf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It feels empty with just me in it. I have pajamas, but I am much too tired to get up and get them on.” He laid onto his side facing her, his eyes already half shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, I’d love to test your bed out with you, but I’ve gotta get home. Are you good if I head out?” She patted the side of his head as he nodded with sleepiness seeping through his face. “Alright, well, I love you, and all that…” She looked at the floor and scratched her head, the darkening pink on her face coloring her smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too, Susie.” Ralsei mumbled, pulling the blanket up over his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though the fates of those lost could never be undone, and the swarm of guilt and self loathing pecked at Ralsei’s heart despite his loved one’s forgiveness, in that moment none of it mattered. The future seemed bright, and with the help of his friends Ralsei would soon be able to escape the life he so desperately wished to. He had fallen asleep, but Susie still sat and watched with a hand gently rubbing behind his ear. Life was hard, and it most likely would continue to be, but as long as they had something to look forward to, there’s always a reason to press on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, princey.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading my first story on here, I'll probably do something more at some point! Maybe! Inevitably!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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